Little Salvatore
by Breemal10
Summary: She just wanted to go home; no fuss, no fault, no fret.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries.

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><p>Chapter 1: Lonesome.<p>

_"Go." My father hurried me into the carriage. "Go to Aunt __Margaret and stay with her. Do you understand?_

_"Yes, papa. But-" I tried to protest._

_"I will see you soon mio fiore." He kissed me forehead and bid me adieu. I climbed inside the carriage as he told me. I didn't protest anymore. There was many things happening in the time being. Fire sprouted from the church and men were running wild._

_I traveled far in the carriage. To the skirts of town; To Aunt Margaret. There were many un-answered questions swarming in my mind. Small questions, and big ones. What was happening? Why were people running wild? Where was papa? Where were Stefan and Damon? Were they dead? Was everyone dead?_

_"Miss Lorena, we have arrived." The coachman informed me._

_"Thank you." I said to him. _

_I would have waited for him to open my door for me, but I was anxious. I rushed inside the house in an un-lady like fashion. Aunt Margaret was sitting in her favourite chair. She was reading a book, as if none happened._

_"Aunt Margaret." I breathed out._

_She looked upon me and set her book down. "Lorena. You have arrived." She stood from her chair to greet me. We curtsied as always._

_"Yes, I have. Aunt Margaret, what is happening in the town? Men and women are-"_

_She told me to hush at once. Then she told me to rest and sent me to the guest chamber. I muttered a 'Yes, Aunt Margaret', and departed without another word. I fell asleep in the chamber I was unaware I would grow to know._

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><p><em>I flinched time after time as my corset was being put on. <em>

_"Sorry, Miss Lorena." The servant apologized for the hundredth time._

_"Yes. It is fine." I assured her._

_I was dressed in minutes. Then I was ordered to join Aunt Margaret for the morning meal. I sat quietly through the meal. She did not ask how I slept, or how I was feeling. I grew uncomfortable with the silence._

_"Where is papa?" I asked._

_She stopped her eating in that moment. She was surprised by my question. She coughed and answered me in a monotone voice. "Your father will not be joining us."_

_I was confused. "For the morning meal?"_

_"He will never be joining us." She said harshly._

_What? I wanted to scream or cry. I wanted to run far away from this house or this lady. I wanted to leave and never return to her. My father was dead? It cannot be. I would not believe it. Not until I saw him myself._

_"Where is he?" I pressed on._

_Aunt Margaret sighed heavily. The table seemed to shake. "He is dead."_

_"No." I shook my head. "He is not." My voice rose._

_"Do not speak to me that way." _

_How was she feeling that way? She was calm and collective. She was not at all in a fit. She was his brother. Brother..._

_"Where are Stefan and Damon?" I demanded. "I want to see them __immediately." I stood from my chair._

_"They are dead."_

_"No." I screamed. "They cannot be dead. My father is not dead! My brothers are not dead! No one is dead!" _

_I stormed away from the table. I ran fast up to the chamber I slept in last night. I threw my small body onto the bed. I cried for a very long time. My heart was hurting. A pain I had never felt before was a permanent feeling resided in my chest. I waited for it to go away, but it never did._

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><p><em>I must have stayed inside my chamber for the day, because when I woke it was light. It must have been the next morning.<em>

_"__Miss Lorena?" There was a knock at the door. It was the servant._

_"Come in." I granted._

_She appeared in the doorway. "I must change you for your lessons."_

_"Lessons?"_

_"Yes, miss. Your afternoon lessons." She said. I guess I missed the morning meal._

_Aunt Margret was going to make me take lessons. Why? Did I live with her now? If my father and brothers were dead, would I live with her? I was only ten years of age. I could not live on my own. If they were dead, I would have to obey her. I would have to answer to her until I was an adult._

_I stood and allowed the servant to change me from my dress. I was changed into a dress that was more loosely fitted. I must have been painting or having the lesson outside. I could not think of another reason as to why I would not be wearing a normal dress._

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><p><em>The lesson was painting, as I has expected. Aunt Margret was teaching me. After the events of the morning, she had not said a word and neither had I. I felt numb inside. Even more so when I was in her presence.<em>

_"Softer strokes." _

_I complied to her command. I painted softer stokes but it was not good enough._

_"Softer strokes." She said again._

_I muttered under my breath. I knew muttering was un-lady like and I knew it would make her mad._

_"What was that?" She sounded angry._

_"Nothing, Aunt Margret."_

_"You will not mutter again. You will speak clearly and act like a lady. Do you understand?"_

_"I understand." I spoke loud and clearly._

_"Splendid." She still did not sound happy, though she never did._

_I was young. It would take a very long time to be gone from this house. But I would not let her order me around like I was lower to her. If I was to be the only one left of my immediate family, to be left lonesome, I would be strong. I would make my father proud of the woman I was to become._


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries.

Episode: Season 2- _The Dinner Party_

A/N: Now, about this story. I hadn't planned for it to be hugely romantic, but there will be some because I couldn't not do it. Anyway, this story is just basically how I think the story line would have affected another member of the Salvatore family.

Also, this story is definitely one of those where It gets better as it goes along. At the beginning, it's a little rusty, but it gets better!

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><p>Chapter 2: Good to be back.<p>

Mystic Falls. I hadn't been since 1871. It felt incredible to be back.

I had just arrived from Europe, as I was done my travelling I decided to pay a visit to my hometown. Everything looked so different. Of course it would with all the evolutions of the world.

I was sitting in the 'Mystic Grill' and running my finger along the top of my coffee cup. I absently stared out the window and watched the people of Mystic Falls walk past. Teenage boys and girls, laughing and teasing. Older people talking with various hand gestures, probably discussing business. It was so similar yet so different. And I missed it so much.

"Are you done with that?"

I turned to see a tall blonde boy standing in front of me.

"Yes, I am. Thank you," I looked down at his name tag. "Matt."

He smiled and took the cup. I put a couple ones on the table and set off. Next stop: My house.

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><p>I ran my hands along what was left of my house. I smiled as I did. So many memories came rushing through my mind.<p>

_I giggled as I trotted through the house._

_"Miss Lorena!" Matilda gasped at me._

_I giggled more and more. I ran away from her, leaving muddy tracks behind me. There were mud track throughout the front of the house now._

_Suddenly Damon appeared from the doorway in the hall._

_"What are you causing, Miss Lorena?" He smiled __mischievously. _

_"None." I shook my head and folded my hands behind my back. I showed my dimpled smile to my big brother as an escape route._

_"Well," He leaned down to my height. Damon was twenty years of age. He was a man. And a tall man at that. "You must be causing havoc for Matilda to be shouting."_

_Matilda, our servant, was shouting from down the hall for me to bathe immediately._

_"Don't tell papa." I hugged Damon's leg. I widened my deep green eyes and stuck of my bottom lip._

_"I would never." He picked me up into his arms. He tickled me quickly and started down the hall to the bathing room. "You must be cleaned." He set me down and left the bathing room. Matilda came inside minutes later. She scolded me and told me that I must act more like a little lady. I told her that I didn't want to be a lady and she scolded me again._

I laughed at the memory. I hated the bathroom because it always meant I had to take a bath. I hated being clean when I was just a child. I wasn't very lady like as a child...

_"May I play?"_

_Both my brothers stopped their wrestling. Damon had the ball in his hands when they stood straight. _

_"__Absolutely." Damon handed the ball to me, but Stefan grabbed it from his before I got my hands on the ball._

_"No, you may not." He placed the ball under his arm and with the other hand he was pointing at me. "You could get hurt."_

_Damon merely scoffed at Stefan's statement. "She can handle a game of football, Stefan."_

_"Yes, Stefan. I can handle a game of football." I restated Damon._

_Stefan turned to Damon. "She is only eight years of age."_

_Damon moved quickly, and stole the ball from Stefan. He tossed the ball to me and I caught it with little difficulty. I smiled big to show Stefan. Stefan did not think I could do many things or he just did not want me to because the activities I chose were dangerous. I didn't see them that way though._

_I made off in the other direction. "Catch me if you can!"_

_I knew Stefan had given in when I heard him laugh and his footsteps, along with Damon's, running behind me._

I looked out into the forest.

We used to run around here. We used to play football together in the very spot I was standing in. Now it was all gone. Everything was gone. There was nothing left to the Salvatore name. Or maybe there was.

I pulled out my cell phone and searched in the google maps to see what was left. Anything Salvatore would do. A ball zoomed into a spot. 'Salvatore Boarding House' is what it said. But the location was not where I was standing. It wasn't very far away though. Maybe ten minutes.

I ran back to my Porsche Cayenne and drove as fast as I could to the location. The curiosity was eating me alive.

When I arrived and got out of my car, I stood still for a little while. The house was beautiful and very big. It looked classical and aged. It looked vacant.

I walked up to the door and pressed my ear to it. I got mostly silence. There was a little shuffling of something, but nothing else. I thought, what's the worst that could happen?

I knocked on the door. I heard whoever was inside stop everything and pause for a second. Then footsteps coming toward the door. I rocked on my feet impatiently. I stood up on my tip toes to peer inside the window. Very rude, I know. But whoever was inside, was taking forever.

He was handsome. He had the body of an athlete and gelled dark blonde hair. His deep-set forest green eyes looked around the foyer. I stared at him with disbelief. Then I whooshed away immediately. I hid behind a tree as the door opened. He looked around and when he didn't find anything, he shut the door.

I slumped against the tree and breathed heavily. That was my thought-to-be-dead big brother that just answered that door.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 2- _The Dinner Party &_ _The House Guest__  
><em>

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><p>Chapter 3: Paying a visit<p>

I scarfed back the shot. My face scrunched up as it burned down my throat.

"Another." I said to the bartender.

"Maybe you should slow down..." He reached out his hand to take my glass away from me. I grabbed his hand. I grabbed the counter and my eyes dilated.

"Give me another shot." I let go of his hand and sat back down in my chair. "Please."

He nodded in his trance and got me another shot. I thought I would've been excited to know Stefan was alive, but I was always so content with believing that he died the night of the church fire. I didn't hate being a vampire. It just wasn't the life I would have wanted for my brother.

Stefan was alive and he was in Mystic Falls. I couldn't believe it at first. But after my third shot, it started to sink in.

Another shot appeared in front of me. "Here you go."

I nodded and tried to smile for him. When he walked away, I stared at the shot with remorse. I shouldn't take it. I should go to Stefan. I should do something other than sit at this pathetic bar.

A tall man came around the bar. He was very handsome with his short brown hair and nicely structured face. If he didn't look around 35, I probably would have found him more attractive.

When he sat down beside me, I scoffed. I normally wouldn't be so rude but I was not in the mood and (shamefully) a little drunk.

"I'm not trying to hit on you." He said to me.

"Oh?" I smirked.

"I was just going to ask how old you were."

That was understandable. I looked like I was seventeen, which was not old enough to drink. But I was 155 years old vampire, I could handle a little liquor.

"Old enough." I tipped back the glass and swallowed the burning alcohol.

He laughed as if he was amused. I rolled my eyes and slowly slipped out of the chair. I straightened my jacket and ran my hands through my hair. I walked quickly and sexily through the bar. I hoped someone would follow me out because I was hungry.

Someone did follow me out. An attractive young man. Sometimes I didn't like feeding on people, but how else was I supposed to survive? I am a vampire. I am a predatory species. I can't help it if I enjoy to hunt. I once enjoyed to kill more than anything, until I realized that the guilt wasn't worth it.

"Hey!"

I put on a sweet smile and turned around. "Hi."

"I'm sorry to run after you like this but...you're so beautiful. I couldn't let you leave without getting your number." He smirked, thinking he was smooth.

"Oh." I pretended to be shy as I got out my cell phone. I held it out for him to take. I grabbed his hand before he he take it and I sped to hold him against the wall. I compelled him not to make a sound. I looked around for any sign of anyone. It was incredibly late and no one was walking the streets. I looked back to my victim and sunk my teeth into his neck. I pushed him away when I was done with him.

"Forget about what just happened."

He nodded and I zipped up his jacket, to hide his bite mark. I patted his shoulder with a heavy hand. "Thank you." I said before I sped off into the night.

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><p>The next morning I stayed in my hotel room and watched TV.<p>

I was avoiding Stefan to the max. I was scared to even leave my room. What if I saw him? What would I say? I didn't know the answers. All I knew is that I couldn't leave the hotel room. But I was hungry and the ladies at the hotel room had been so nice. I always made an effort not to feed on people who weren't hurting anyone. But sometimes I slipped up and yesterday, I really slipped up. I felt guilty for it, but that wasn't going to make me starve myself or resent myself for being what I am.

I sighed and turned off the TV. I got up out of the bed and tugged on some jeans. Jeans were such a great invention. I slipped on a nice shit and some flats. I didn't try to fumble with my long blonde hair. It was almost down to my waist and was usually straightened, but now it was bunched in tangles. It would take me a while to brush it all out. I put it up into a ponytail and left the hotel room.

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><p>I stalled longer than I had hoped. It was probably 2:00. I had stalled most of the day. But now I was ready. Standing in front of the Salvatore boarding house door ready.<p>

I knocked tentatively. There was still time to back out. I could run away right now. I could- The door swung open. I saw the last person I expected to see.

"Katherine?"


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 2- _The House Guest _

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><p>Chapter 4: Little Lorena.<p>

She looked beautiful as she always had. Her hair was long and brown, but straightened to perfection. She had the same face and facial expressions as the last time I saw her when I was just ten. I saw her as a big sister or a role model for me. It took me years to realize that she was tearing my family apart. And the sickest part was that she enjoyed it. She loved that Stefan and Damon were both desperately in love with her. She made me sick.

"Little Salvatore." She smirked.

There was a thump from deeper in the house and then a figure was standing in the hallway. It was Damon.

My heart swelled in my chest. My breathing became heavy and I thought I might have cried. "Damon."

He looked the same too. Everything was still the same about him. Everything except for his modern day clothes and his hair was cut shorter, but still just as messy. He didn't look a day over twenty-five, just as he had left me.

"Lorena." He moved forward slowly.

It was silent for a long, long time. Katherine, being her obnoxious self, spoke up. "Are you going to invite her in or what?"

"Come in." Damon said immediately.

I looked around the door frame. I took one hesitant step inside. As soon as I did, I was in Damon's arms. I gasped. The last time I hugged him...we were both human. He was harder and colder now, but I didn't enjoy his hug any less. I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed him tight.

"I missed you, Damon."

He pulled away and looked me over. He laughed loudly in my face. "I miss you too, little Lorena." He stopped with an uncomfortable sigh. "Or not-so-little Lorena."

He brought me into the living room and we sat on opposite couches. He stared at me intently. "How are you here?"

We had out reuniting celebration. Now it was time to get down to the nitty-gritty.

"Well," I sighed. "I was turned in 1871-"

"By who?" Katherine interrupted. She also hadn't seen me since I was just a young girl. She must've been a little curious.

I felt my heart clench in my chest. "His name was Nicholas Miller."

"Why did he turn you?" She walked over to the couches. She didn't sit down. She just stood there, asking me questions.

"Does it matter?"

"Yes." She stared me down with her dark eyes.

_I ran as fast as I could away from him. I looked back every once in a while to see if he had caught up. When we played these games, I told him he couldn't use his special abilities. It was unfair. Suddenly, arms were around my waist. Nicholas spun me around to face him._

_"I've caught you."_

_I giggled and pushed him away. "You cheated."_

_"I did not!" He protested jokingly._

_I ignored him and walked on through the forest. This was my favourite time of the day. When Nicholas was free, and I was free form Aunt Margret. I was finally seventeen years of age. I was almost old enough to leave her home. I had waited seven long years for the day. As soon as I was to move out, I would move in with Nicholas. I didn't care what other people in the town said about us living together before wedding. I did nott care because I loved him._

_"The winner demands a kiss." He stood in front of me._

_I complied easily. I loved to kiss Nicholas. When we pulled away, he grabbed my hands._

_"Lorena. I was minding the other day and...what if..."_

_"Yes?" I urged for him to continue._

_His dark blue eyes peered into my green ones. "What if we were to be wed?"_

_"Pardon?" I asked in surprise._

_"Lorena Marietta Salvatore." He kneeled down. "Will you marry me?"_

_I was turned to shock for the moment before I smiled widely and jumped upon him in a fit of giggles._

_"Yes!" I kissed all of his face. "Yes, I will marry you."_

_He smiled too. "We will be with one another forever."_

_I kissed him tenderly. "Forever."_

"After we were married, the subject of turing me never came up. Until one night..."

_"Nicholas?" I placed my hand on his shoulder. He was sitting in front of the fire. He hadn't said a word to me all day. "My love?"_

_He got up and turned around slowly. He looked angry. "You will grow old, Lorena."_

_"What?"_

_He took a step forward and I stepped back. "You will grow old and I will stay young."_

_"Nicholas, you are frightening me." I fumbled backward._

_"If I do not turn you, you will die."_

_We never brought it up. I wanted to live my life.. I wanted to have children and grow old despite the fact that I was married to a vampire. Yet, that fantasy still lived in my brain._

_"I have to turn you." He grabbed my shoulders._

_I tried to wriggle from his tight grasp. "Please do not. I want to be human, Nicholas."_

_"But you love me." He shook me harshly. He was yelling now. He let go of me and bit his wrist. He tried to put it in my mouth._

_"Nicholas, please. Please do-"_

_He shoved his wrist into my mouth. I tried to fight it. I tried so hard. When I tasted the blood in my mouth, I wanted to spit it out. But I couldn't. He took his wrist away and kissed my bloody lips._

_"I love you, Lorena." He told me. Then darkness._

"He turned me. That way we would've been together forever." I finished.

Katherine laughed. "Pathetic."

"I thought I was in love." I growled.

"Well then, Lorena. Where is he now?"

_After everything he did to me and after everything he made me do and become, his death still pained me like no other. _

_I screamed and screamed. It felt like a stake was being stabbed into my stomach and then ripped out, and then stabbed back in again. It felt like the world had stopped. Everything was still. I was still, kneeling next to his body with his heart in my hands._

_"That is what happens when you disobey me."_

_I thought he was a friend to me. He was Nicholas's friend. How could he do this to us? I couldn't say anything. Not to the man who just murdered the love of my life. But I felt words come up in my throat._

_"You're a monster."_

_Klaus laughed. "You are too kind, darling."_

"He's dead." I replied simply. I didn't want to go into detail of the moment of Nicholas's death. I had a long time to get over it, and I was.. But it still pained my heart to think about him.

Damon stayed silent like he had the whole time. I told them about how I ran as fast and far as I could've from the town. I told them how I travelled the world and lived my life.. I left out a couple things here and there, but I got all the important things down.

Damon was silent the whole time. He had his hands folded in his lap and he looked at me with a distant look in his eyes.

"Damon?" I asked him. "Are you-"

"I'm fine." He responded. "You're just-" He stopped. "And you're so-"

"I know." I laughed. The last time he saw me, I looked ten years old. Now I looked seventeen. It must've been weird for him.

"And if I had known that you were still alive, I would've come for you."

"I know you would have." I told him. "I would have done the same."

There was silence for a while. Then I asked Damon what he had been doing for 162 years. He told me everything. He barely spared any details. He told me all about him and Stefan. There good and bad moments included. The things he did by himself over the years, what happened to our dad, him and Stefan turning, leaving Stefan, when he came back for Stefan, Mystic Falls and the people here, as well as so much more.

When he got to the current events and mentioned Klaus's name, I tried not to show that I was surprised or scared. Then when he told me that he had Elijah in the basement, I took in a sharp intake of breath. I had known Elijah when I was with Nicholas too.

"He's in the basement?"

"Ya, with a dagger in his heart." He smirked.

I felt immense relief. Then guilt for being relieved. I liked Elijah. Or I at least liked him more than I liked Klaus.

Damon caught me up on the latest troubles. I noticed a recurring theme with every single one. A girl named Elena Gilbert was the source of all the problems. Damon said that Stefan loved her and that's why they went through all that trouble to make sure she was safe. It seemed so ridiculous to me. If she was causing so much trouble, why bother with her? They should've left when they still could've. Now they were caught in the middle of her issues.

Damon told me that he was trying to look for the sight of the massacre of a bunch of witches by searching in some journals. He ran upstairs and got a box. When he brought it back, I saw that it was full of old looking books. Those must've been the journals. I reached into the grab one. Damon smacked my hand away and I rolled my eyes.

I left the living room to go to the kitchen. Damon probably kept some really good whiskey around here somewhere. I searched through all the cupboards when I heard the door open and close.

"What'd papa witch and baby witch have to say?" Damon asked.

"Isn't she gone or dead yet?"

Stefan.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 2- _The House Guest_

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><p>Chapter 5: Sister<p>

I sped out of the kitchen and into the living room. He was leaning casually against the doorway. He looked at me with uncertain eyes for only a moment until he stood up straight with a surprised expression.

"Lorena?"

I smiled widely. "The one and only." I sped right into him, wrapping my arms tightly around his body. I released him and he took me by the shoulders. He inspected every inch of me.

"You're all grown up." He said, almost sadly. "And you're a vampire. How did that happen?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but was cut off by Damon.

"We can talk about that later." He said. "What did the witches say?"

Stefan knew Damon wouldn't budge, so he just explained. He said that they wouldn't need a weapon to kill Klaus, just a witch. But the witch would need power and lots of it. Like a spot where a hundred dead witches were sacrificed. We just needed to find the spot.

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><p>Damon was sat in a chair and I on the couch. We were both reading the journals. Katherine went off somewhere to get blood and Stefan was upstairs.<p>

We learned that Emily was killed at the same spot as all the other witches, but that was all we had discovered.

My brothers were doing this to kill Klaus, because Klaus wants to kill this Elena girl. Everything came back around to Elena.

"Tell me about Elena." I said, closing my journal.

"What is there to tell?" Damon kept reading his.

I sat up. "Why do you both risk your lives to save her?"

"Because..." He hesitated. "Stefan's in love with her."

"Ok.." I stood up. "So that explains Stefan. Why do you risk your life?"

He became very quiet. He sighed and flipped a page of his book.

"What? Is it some big secret?" I said dramatically. "Are you in love with her too?" I said jokingly.

Damon gave me a look. I furrowed my eyebrows at him. My voice turned serious. "Are you in love with Stefan's girlfriend?"

Stefan entered the room. "Well, nothing in any of these." He put the book down. "Find anything?"

Damon nodded his head yes. "Nope." He handed the book he was reading to Damon and pointed at a certain section.

Stefan read the writing and looked at Damon. "That's too bad."

"Ya, bummer." Damon said.

They both nodded at each other and Stefan left the room. I looked at Damon in confusion.

"What-"

He put a finger to his lips to tell me to hush. Right, Katherine. I waited for a minute for Damon to say anything. When he didn't, I tried to get him to talk.

"Do you want to tell me-"

"Damon!" Katherine yelled from the basement.

Damon and I looked at each other before we both sped off to find her. Damon got there before I did. I watched him slam into the doorway.

"Katherine."

I heard her make gagging noises. I smelt the blood too. I sped over to the doorway where Damon was holding the stake that has just been in her stomach.

"What happened?" He asked.

Katherine looked over to Elijah's body. "Damon."

The knife was coming out of Elijah's body. But nothing was there to pull it. Witchcraft, it had to be. Damon moved slowly but surely to grab the gas tank. He squeezed the trigger and flames flowed out from the end. I just stood there and watched. Stefan appeared beside me.

"What are you doing?" He yelled at Damon.

Damon continued to spread the fire around Elijah's body. "Some kind of crazy ass physic witch attack. Get over there and do something about it."

Stefan hesitated and Damon yelled at him to go. Stefan ran off down the hall. Damon set the tank down and told me to take Katherine upstairs. I went over to Katherine and helped her stand up. I put her arm around my shoulders and dragged her up the stairs and onto the couch. She fell on it with a strangled sigh.

"Are you ok?" I asked.

"Concerned, little Lorena?" She smirked and then clutched her stomach.

I rolled my eyes and sat down on the other couch. "No."

"Don't be like that, Lorena." She teased. "Remember when you used to like me?"

_Katherine took me to the shopping centre of town. She bought all sorts of dresses for me. Ever since she had arrived, she had been nothing but kind to me. I was very intrigued by her when she first arrived. I had never had a big sister and she took that role on in such a short amount of time. She somehow supplied the role of both a sister and a mother. My mothers death was very tragic for me and I never had a female role model in my life. Katherine was becoming mine._

_She often introduced me as her little sister to other people. At first I thought it was because she was so sure she was going to marry one of my brothers. But now I see that we had really formed a bond. I love it._

_"You look beautiful, little Lorena." She told me as I twirled around in the blue dress._

_I smiled brightly at her praise. "Thank you, Miss Katherine."_

_She looked into my eyes through the mirror. She stood and picked a necklace from a counter somewhere on the other side of the store. When she came back, she stood behind me and put the necklace on me._

_"Perfection." Her hands settled upon my shoulders as she smiled. "You are such a beautiful girl, Lorena. Do you have a suitor?"_

_"No." I looked down when I blushed. "Papa and my brothers don't talk about that." They never liked talking about finding me a proper suitor. I knew papa would find me the perfect suitor when that time came. For now, I would be a ten year old girl and not worry about being wed._

_"Well," She spun me around. "You are going to have suitors competing for your attention." She tucked a lose strand of my hair behind my ear. I blushed again at her comment._

_"I do not think-"_

_She grabbed my chin roughly and made me look her in the eyes. "You will listen to me, Lorena. You are a beautiful girl."_

_That's all she had to say to make me believe it. I looked at her gratefully. I felt if I spoke, I might have cried. I hugged her tightly. She laughed and hugged me back. It was nice to have someone like her in my life. _

"I was too young to know what you were and how you were tearing my family apart." I growled.

She rolled her eyes. "You don't have to believe me, but I did care about you."

I scoffed. "Oh, I'm sure you did."

Damon came in with a blood bag and handed it to Katherine.

"Here you go."

She had just grabbed in when Damon stabbed her side with a stake. She screamed out in pain and breathed heavily.

"What the hell?" She said.

Damon leaned closer to her. "That's for not telling me the dagger would kill me." He twisted the dagger. She writhed in pain. "Next time, it goes it your heart." Damon finished and moved away.

"Is that how you treat someone who-" She pulled the dagger out. "Is trying to help you." She tossed the dagger aside and tried to sit up.

"You want to help?" Damon turned around. "Start talking."

Katherine smiled a cocky smile. "I'd love to, but you're not going to like it."

Damon put his hands out. "Try me."

Katherine stood from the couch, holding her side. "Fine. John Gilbert and Isabelle want you and Stefan out of Elena's life."

Damon looked around like he already knew. "That's old news."

"Not the part where he offered me a deal. He knew that killing Elijah would get me out of the tomb, so he gave me a choice." She paused for a small second. "Either I stay and help with Klaus or he kills Stefan."

Damon didn't look impressed. "But he still tried to have me killed."

"Right." She confirmed. "That was part of the deal. I could only save one of you."

"So you chose Stefan." It wasn't a question. Damon's face scrunched up into a pained expression. "Of course you did."

"You wanted the truth, Damon." Damon nodded and she continued. "Would you rather I lie?"

Damon stayed for a moment, then he left the room. That really hurt him. Katherine chose Stefan over Damon in a lot of things in 1864. So many years later, and nothing's changed.

* * *

><p>Damon came down from his room with his jacket on.<p>

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Luka Martin's dead. His father's going after Elena." He rushed out.

"I'm coming with you." Katherine set down her blood bag to stand up.

"No, you're not." Damon responded.

Katherine sped up and pressed her hand against his chest. "Wait."

I stood from the couch and walked closer to see Damon getting angry.

"I don't need your help. I don't want it."

I walked past them and grabbed my coat. If she wasn't going, then I was. When I turned around, Damon was looking at me.

"You're not coming either." He told me.

"What? Why?" I said.

Katherine interrupted us. "I know what we can do Damon. You have to let me do it."

I had never seen him be so easily convinced as he just had. He mumbled a fine and started toward the door.

"Uh-hello? Why can't I come?" I asked.

"Stay here." Damon said firmly as Katherine slipped past him to the outside. Then he shut the door and it was quiet in the house.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 2- _Know Thy Enemy_

* * *

><p>Chapter 6: History repeating itself.<p>

I was being shaken awake.

"Lorena."

"Hm?" I hummed.

"Wake up."

I threw my hand out to tell them to go away. As I did, I heard something crash. That must've been the whiskey bottle.

I found the good stuff while everyone was gone. I decided to have a little party of my own. Loud music, drinking, and dancing had really tired me. I took to the couch for a nap. Now I was being awoken by an annoying Stefan.

I heard him laugh and then I was being lifted into his arms. He was carrying me like I was a child again. I smiled goofily.

"I'm not six years old, Stefan-" I hiccuped and giggled. "I am-I am-uh-how old am I?" I couldn't remember.

I felt his chest shake from laughter. "Don't worry about that."

I was being laid down on a comfy bed. "Thank you, Stefan." I mumbled as I rolled over into the soft pillows.

"Get some sleep." He turned off the lights and left the room. I was asleep in an instant.

* * *

><p>I woke up to Stefan, Damon, and Katherine talking downstairs. I got in the shower first. I couldn't decide if I was mad at them for abandoning me so quickly. And for Elena. Elena, Elena, Elena. That's all I heard about since I had gotten here. I couldn't wait to meet her and find out what was so great about her that so many people would risk their lives for her.<p>

Once I finished my shower, I blow-dried and straightened my hair. It flowed beautifully. I put on some makeup and clothes and set out to have breakfast. I bounced downstairs and tried to slip into the kitchen. I ate my breakfast as I tuned out the conversation in the living room. When I was finished eating, I decided to join them.

I walked in on Damon laying on one couch, Katherine on another, Stefan on the other, and Katherine leaving the room. Wait a second. There were two Katherine's. Unless I was imagining it, there were two Katherine's.

I stood in shock as I watched the curly haired one leave the room. I looked at the brown-haired, brown-eyed girl on the couch.

"Lorena." Stefan stood up. "This is-"

I let out a laugh. You have got to be kidding me. "Elena." No wonder they were both so in love with her.

They had explained everything to me. Falling in love with Elena and protecting Elena. They told me she was the doppelgänger, but I didn't know the resemblance was exact. I thought it was going to be similar. Like a daughter of a daughter type thing, but no. Elena looked exactly like Katherine. It was probably going to be Katherine all over again.

She stood from the couch with a polite smile. "That'd be me. And you're Lorena. It's nice to meet you." She stuck out her hand.

I just looked at her hand and then looked into her eyes. It was definitely going to be Katherine all over again. Both of my brothers loved Elena and she was going to tear them apart just like Katherine did in 1864.

Stefan noticed my expression. "Well, we better get going." He placed his hand all the small of her back. I watched her walk past me and leave the house. I turned to Damon, who was getting off the couch.

"That wasn't very polite." He smirked.

"Are you insane?" I tried not to yell.

He avoided my gaze. "What?"

"Don't 'what?' me. You know what. That girl looks exactly like Katherine." I pointed to the door with no effect. "History is just going to repeat itself."

Damon ignored me and grabbed his coat.

"Oh great. Now you're leaving too?" I plopped onto the couch.

"You can come if you want."

As soon as he said that, I dismissed my anger toward his stupid decisions and followed him to his car.

* * *

><p>I walked alongside Damon, Bonnie, and Jeremy. I had brief introductions to both of them. They sounded surprised that Damon and Stefan had a sister. I guess they never mentioned me to anyone. Understandable though. They thought I was dead.<p>

"You sure it's the right place?" Jeremy questioned once we saw the house.

It was white and big. It looked extremely worn down as greens grew over the beautiful structure.

Damon nodded and walked forward. The rest of us followed.

The inside looked worse than the outside. It was dark and run down. Nothing was left of the house. We walked past the staircase and into what might have once been a living area.

There was a crack and Jeremy made a sound of fear. I looked back at him to see what happened. Nothing happened. It was just a creak of the floor boards. Jeremy looked embarrassed.

"C'mon." He said.

We kept walking forward into more light. I followed Damon to look outside a window. When we were walking back, we stopped. I couldn't move. Damon laughed sourly.

"Whatever witchy prank your playing, don't. It's not funny."

Bonnie looked amused. "I'm not doing anything."

"I can't move." I told her. I urged myself forward. Nothing.

Suddenly I felt hot. Very, very hot. Then my skin started to burn. "Ah." I scrunched my face in pain. My ring stopped working.

"My rings not working." I heard Damon say. He was burning too. "Do something." He told Bonnie.

Bonnie looked down and tried to focus. I kept my head down and cringed as I tried not to scream out. I heard Damon yell in pain next to me. I was pushing so hard to move forward. Suddenly I lurched forward and out of the sun. I felt my skin reform itself and I swallowed hard.

"I don't think the witches like you being here." Bonnie said.

Jeremy sighed. "I guess this is the right place."

"We're going to go wait outside." Damon nudged me to follow. Bonnie and Jeremy stood out of the way for us to pass. I breathed in the fresh air once I was outside. That house was suffocating.

We both stood outside the door for a while. Kind of like body guards. Damon's arms flopped out of his crossed arms and he turned around.

"Wanna hurry it up in there?" He called into the house. He was so impatient. He started to walk toward the door.

I tried to warn him. "I wouldn't do-"

The door slammed in his face. "Screw you too, Emily." He turned around to me and I shrugged my shoulders. I didn't know what to say to him. But I certainly was not about to go up against a hundred dead witches.

He turned back to the door. "You know, you're all on your own in there." He turned and made his way down the steps. I followed him to his car.

"Aren't they going to be mad that you just left them?"

Damon shrugged and got into his car. I slipped into the passengers seat. We drove back into the town of Mystic Falls, not saying a word to one another. His phone rang and he answered it. After hanging up he told me that they needed to stop by the Lockwood's.

"Lockwood, huh?" I smiled. "That's a name I haven't heard in a very long time."

_"May I ask you to dance, Miss Lorena?" _

_I blushed and giggled. Owen Lockwood was some charmer. He was an eleven year old boy with no self-esteem issues. Probably because he was so handsome. He had beautiful tan skin, warming brown eyes, and deep brown hair. He was the most handsome boy in all of Mystic Falls, I thought._

_I accepted his hand and he pulled me to the dance floor. He spun me and we side-stepped like i'd seen my brothers do so many times. Speaking of my brothers. Damon appeared behind Owen. He tapped his shoulder._

_"Do you mind if I cut in?"_

_Owen ignored him and tried to step away, with me still is his arms. "Yes, I do."_

_"That's too bad." Damon yanked Owen away from me and pushed him in the other direction. Damon took my hand in one of his and placed the other on my waist._

_"Damon!" I scolded him. "Must you always ruin my fun?"_

_"You are much too young to be dancing with boys."_

_I huffed angrily. "I am nine years of age, Damon. I am old enough to decide for myself."_

_Damon laughed and I purposely stepped on his toe with my hard heel. Damon winced in pain._

_"That hurt." He whined._

_"Yes well, it was meant to." I smirked._

Damon looked at me with a side-eye. "I hated that kid."

"You hated any kid who took an interest in me." I laughed.

"As your older brother, it was my job."

"Stefan never did anything like that." I reminded him.

Damon smiled. "Stefan was too kind to tell a little kid to get lost, but that didn't mean that he didn't give them the evil eye when you weren't looking."

I shook my head. We arrived at the Lockwood manor. I was told to wait in the car, and I did. He came out again with a body of a man. He put him in the back seat and got back in to drivers seat.

I looked at him with an amused expression. "Are we going to bury someone?" I asked jokingly.

"No. That was John Gilbert. We're taking him back to the boarding house."

* * *

><p>Damon let John's body fall on the ground on the foyer.<p>

"Damon!"

"What?" He said with an annoyed expression.

"He's just a human."

I grabbed a pillow and place it under his head, but that was all I would do. I didn't care that much.

"I'm going to take a shower." Damon informed me.

I sat down on the couch and pulled out my phone to reply to a couple of messages. "Alright."

* * *

><p>It took twenty-five minutes for Damon to come storming downstairs.<p>

"Where are you going?" I yelled after him, not moving from the couch.

"Katherine's got the moon stone and Isabelle took Elena."

"Oh, well-" The door slammed. "Have fun." I finished to myself. I sighed heavily. Alone again.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 2- _Know Thy Enemy &_ _The Last Dance_

* * *

><p>Chapter 7: Not invited in.<p>

I decided to just go out to the Mystic Grill. I never was a big drinker, but ever since I got to Mystic Falls, i've been drinking more than usual. I guess family did that to you.

I spent pretty well the whole night there. I ate first, drank a little, and then played pool with a couple of strangers. It was a good time. A better time than sitting in a big house all alone.

I had a blood bag before I left, so I had little to no urges to rip someones head off.

The whole night went by too quickly. I realized I had all most of my stuff still at the hotel. Maybe I would just spend the night there. Ya, I would just spend the night there. Reuniting with Damon and Stefan was not what I thought it would've been like and it was taking its toll. I didn't want to be near them right now.

* * *

><p>In the morning, i decided to go back. I tried to open the door to the Salvatore boarding house, but I bounced back. I looked at the doorway in confusion. I heard voices inside. I knocked on the door. Elena Gilbert opened it. Damon, Stefan and Bonnie were standing not too far away from her.<p>

"What the hell is going on?" I banged my fist on the clear barrier.

"We gave the house to Elena." Stefan said simply.

My eyes widened. "You did what?"

"We gave Elena-"

I narrowed my eyes at Stefan. "I heard what you said. Why did you give Elena the house?"

"Klaus is coming for Elena and she needs protection. This house will act as her safe house."

I shook my head. "So you just signed it away? What were you guys thinking?"

"Hey, don't be annoying." Damon jumped in before I started yelling. He rolled his eyes and turned away. "Invite her in, Elena"

"No, Elena." I held my hand up to silence her. "Don't bother."

I sped away to my car. I got in and drove as fast as I could. They didn't come after me. Things were so different from when I was young.

_"I hate you!" I yelled in hysterics._

_Damon growled. "Do not say that to me." He grabbed me by my wrist. "Never say that to me again."_

_"Ouch, Damon!" I cried out when his grip tightened. He let go and I ran out the door. I didn't look back. I ran all the way to the woods. I ran until I tripped on something. I fell to the ground. I tried to get up, but the muscles in my arms fell weak. I laid on the ground and cried. I must've fell asleep because all the sudden it was very dark. I left the house at supper time and it was now nightfall. _

_I heard a crack far away. My head whipped in the direction of the sound. My breath quickened and my skin crawled with shivers. _

_"Lorena!" Damon called from deep into the forest._

_I gasped happily. "Damon!" I used the tree to help me stand. I limped to where I thought I heard him. "I'm here! Over here!" _

_I saw him appear in what seemed like forever. I smiled and quickened my pace. It didn't do much, for my limping slowed me down. Damon was running as fast as he could. He caught me in his arms and spun me around. I sobbed into his shoulder._

_"Do not ever run away again." His hand rubbed my hair as I cried._

_I lifted my head from his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Damon."_

_He put his big hands on the sides of my face. "Do not scare me like that, Lorena."_

_"I do not hate you." I said quickly, after remembering what I said._

_"I know." He smiled. _

_"I love you." I hugged him again._

_"I love you too, Lorena. I will always chase for you when you run away."_

I guess things changed. Angry tears slid down my cheeks. My vision was blurring and I gripped the wheel for security. I didn't wipe my tears away. I let the tears fall freely. I let them fall and hoped for them to stop. They didn't and I got tired. I pulled into an empty parking lot and cried. I gripped the wheel as sobs shook my body. I fumbled to grab my phone from my pocket. I looked at it for a long time before I finally dialed the number. It rang and rang until someone picked up.

"Hello?" His voice was cheery.

"It's me." sniffled.

"Lorena, hey."

"I-" My mouth shut tightly to try to hold in a sob. When it escaped from my lips, I gripped to phone tighter. "I need you. The-the Mystic Falls Hotel. Me-meet me there."

"Ok, ok." He sounded like he was moving around. "I will be there soon."

"Hurry." I said quietly and desperately before I hung up the phone.

I adjusted the rearview mirror, so I could see me face. My hair was a mess and mascara was smudged along my eyes. I took out a makeup wipe and wiped the blackness away.

I sighed as my head fell back against my seat. I was exhausted from crying. I reached down and pulled the lever to put my seat back. I laid down and closed my eyes.

* * *

><p>There was a knocking on my window. My eyes we opening slowly and then I shot up. There was a middle-aged man tapping on my window.<p>

"Sorry to scare you, miss." I heard him say through the glass.

I rubbed my eyes and opened the door to get out. He backed away from the door.

"That's alright." I pulled all my hair to one side. "Thank you for waking me up."

"You've been in there a while, miss."

"My names Lorena." I held out my hand. He took it.

"Chester." He let go of my hand and tipped his hat.

I looked around. The parking lot was empty and I looked at the building I parked in front of. It was a bar. A bar that looked liked no one was inside of. I looked back to Chester. My eyes drifted to his neck. I haven't had a drink since last night. I swallowed hard and licked my lips.

"Miss?"

My eyes snapped up. I closed them for a second. I hated to take advantage of innocent people, but I was beyond hungry. My eyes dilated. "Don't make a sound." I bit into his neck. His sweet blood flowed into my mouth and I moaned. Blood never tasted to good. It was probably the alcohol he was filled with. It was sweet and sugary. I pulled him closer. I needed to stop right now. I sucked harder. I needed to stop. I was going to kill him. I was going to kill an innocent person. I shoved him away from me and he went sliding across the pavement. I walked over to him and picked him up.

"I'm going to heal you," I compelled him. "And then you're going to forget about meeting me."

I bit my wrist and shoved it in his mouth. He resisted the whole way through, but I made sure he swallowed. I saw his neck and scrapes on his skin start to heal.

"I'm so sorry." I told him.

I got in my car and drove away quickly. I was driving down the road until I realized-where was I? Good thing I had a GPS. Bad thing...I didn't know how to work it. I pushed all buttons until it spoke to me.

"Would you like to set a destination?" It asked me.

"Yes." I said. It just repeated the question. I realized I had to press the 'yes' button. Today was not my day.

I set the destination and a dot appeared on the map on the screen. I was heading toward Mystic Falls, thank god. According to the lady in the machine, I would be at Mystic Falls in thirty minutes. I sighed as I drove down the road. I had a feeling this was going to be a longer drive than usual.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 2- _The Last Dance _

* * *

><p>Chapter 8: Eddy.<p>

He was sitting on the couch in the lobby of the hotel. His back was facing me, but it was un-mistakingly him. His jet black hair was too recognizable and even sitting down, you could tell that he was over six-feet tall.

I felt better the instant I saw him. I walked over to him and smacked my hands down on his shoulders. He didn't flinch or jump. He was too old to be scared.

"Eddy Smith." I said into his ear.

He stood up and turned around to face me. Edmund Stebbington, or his modern name changed to Eddy Smith, held the title of my best friend. Eddy was one of the handsomest men I'd ever seen in my entire life. His jet black hair contrasted very well with his tan skin and his beautiful blue eyes. The outline of his face was sharp and hard, but his feature were soft. He was very muscular and very tall. One look at him might send you running.

"Lorena Salvatore."

We smiled as I walked around the couch to hug him. It wasn't a big, huge reuniting hug. It was sweet and subtle. I loved Eddy's hugs. I loved Eddy. As a friend of course. He has kept me sane throughout everything. We met the right after I lost Nicholas, and I was on a rage. I remembered it so well.

_I let the body slip from my hands and onto the floor. I wiped my mouth. It didn't do much, just smudged the blood around. I looked around me. So many dead bodies. They deserved to die. If Nicholas was dead, everyone deserved to die._

_"You have made quite the mess."_

_I sped around and grabbed him by the throat. I pushed him up against the wall and hissed in his face. He wasn't human. I understood that as soon as I touched him. But he wasn't fighting back._

_"Feisty, are we?" He smirked under the pressure of my hand._

_I growled and tightened my grip. He grabbed my wrist and tossed me aside like a rag doll. Like it required no effort for him to push me off of him._

_"I am much older than you." He wiped his hands and stared at the bodies. "Much, much older."_

_I stood and looked at his back with raging fury. I sped up and grabbed him from behind. He effortlessly grabbed me and brought me over him and onto the ground. He got on top of me and looked at me._

_"Why must you kill innocent humans?"_

_I was anger for only a moment longer, then I broke down into tears. "I have lost my love." He let go of me and I rolled onto my side. "My life."_

_He grabbed me with softer hands and pulled me up into a hug. I didn't know him, but I accepted the hug. I deserved pity. I deserved to be consoled after what I went through. Or maybe I didn't. I killed many innocent humans, humans who had not hurt me in any way. I took their lives from them. I cried harder. I was a monster._

_"Help me." I begged the man. "Please. I beg of you, help me. I cannot control myself."_

_"Ssh." He rubbed my hair. "I will help you."_

_"Oh, thank you. Thank you." I muffled into his shoulder._

_He pulled me back and took my hand. He bowed and lightly kissed it. "Edmund Stebbington, Miss.."_

_I bowed as well. "Lorena Salvatore."_

_"Well, Miss Lorena." He let go of my hand and circled me. "I am your companion now. I will teach you the rights and the wrongs of being a night creature. I will teach you control."_

_I was very grateful, but I had my suspicions. "Why?"_

_He stopped walking to look me in the eyes. "I am a helper."_

And he was. He helped me through everything. He taught me all the things he said he would've. He became my companion like he said he would. We stayed together for a very long time. Nothing romantic ever happened between us. Except for in the beginning of our friendship when we did have sex. We never called it a mistake, but we both knew it was wrong. We weren't a lovers. He was like a brother to me. The brother I needed when mine weren't there. Now mine weren't here and I needed him.

"Thank you for coming." I told him.

He smiled. "It was hard to fit you into my schedule, but I managed."

* * *

><p>"And they gave it away? Just like that?"<p>

"Yes." I said. "And now, i'm here." I gestured around the hotel room.

He leaned back into the bed with his hands interlocked behind him head. "Sucks to be you."

"You're a big help, Eddy." I scoffed.

He switched on the TV and ignored me. Eddy was kind of an asshole. But his presence brought me calmness and when he wanted to, he gave great advice. He was the person I was most comfortable with.

I sighed and turned around to find his eyes on me.

"What do I do?" I asked him.

He stood and placed his hands on my shoulder. "You're going to be fine, Lorena. Stay here and get yourself together. Then go back and tell them you are sorry." He let go of my shoulders and plopped back down on the bed. "You were being a bitch, Lorena. It was there house and if they want to give it away, then that's their decision."

I crawled under the covers of the bed. "They don't care about me, Eddy."

"Oh, I doubt that." He tossed me my phone. Thirteen missed calls and twenty text messages all from Damon and Stefan. I tossed the phone to the end of the bed.

"But they didn't come after me." I moved closer to Eddy. "It's Elena. They care for her too much. It's going to kill them."

Eddy sighed. "Come here." He let me crawl under his arm and into his side. "They are your brothers and they love you. But they can still love other people."

"But they're going to die for her." I argued.

"That's their decision."

I jumped away from him. "And what? You expect me to sit around and watch them kill themselves?"

"I expect you to respect your brothers decisions."

He was right. I knew he was. If this Elena girl made them happy, then so be it. I would do all I could to save them, but I wouldn't stand in their way.

"Doesn't mean I have to like her." I snuggled into the pillows.

He laughed and pulled the covers over me. "Get some sleep, Lorena."

I mumbled a goodnight and fell into a restless sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 2- _The Last Day_

* * *

><p>Chapter 9: Bitten.<p>

Eddy and I spent the whole next day just being around each other and messing around.

Now it was the day. The day of the sacrifice and I was heading back to the boarding house. Eddy and I had said goodbye and I was in my car, going back to the boarding house.

I pulled up in front of the house and knocked on the door. It immediately opened to Stefan and Elena. They looked like they were about to leave.

"Lorena." Stefan sounded relieved, but he didn't move from his spot from beside Elena.

"Stefan." I greeted him with a closed mouth smile. I looked at Elena. She looked like she'd been crying. "What happened?" I looked back to Stefan for an answer. He put an arm around Elena and started the lead her away. Elena stopped and invited me in. I thanked her and turned to Stefan for an answer.

"Ask Damon." Stefan said.

I put my hands on his chest to stop him from walking. "No. I'm asking you. What happened?" I asked more sternly this time.

"I told you-" I shoved me aside lightly. "To ask Damon." He walked off with Elena.

I walked inside the house. Damon was sitting on the couch with a bourbon in his hands. He stood up when he saw me.

"Lorena." He moved to hug me, but I stepped back.

"What happened with Elena?"

Silence.

I was getting angry. "What happened, Damon?"

He looked sad or angry or both. "I fed Elena my blood."

I grabbed him by the throat and held him up against the wall. "What the hell were you thinking?"

He roughly grabbed my hand and clamped his hand around my neck. He switched us around and held me against the wall.

"I know." He let me go and walked over to the couch. "Tell me that I'm stupid and selfish. Tell me about how i'm a terrible person." He sat down on the couch and took a sip of his drink.

I wasn't angry at him because of Elena. I didn't care wether Elena died or became a vampire because of the sacrifice to break the sun and the moon curse. I cared about how it would effect Damon and his safety. He would feel guilty for a long time and Klaus would kill him when he found out what he did. But he was just trying to save someone he loved.

"You're very selfish, but you're not stupid." I sat down beside him. "You did what you thought was right."

"I screwed up, Lorena."

"It's ok to be selfish with the people you love, Damon." I placed my hand on his leg. With the hand he didn't have his glass in, he gripped my hand in his. I then put both of my small hands in his big one. We sat in silence for a couple minutes. Then he stood up and said that he was going to the bar. I leaned back into the couch and covered my face with my hands. What a mess.

* * *

><p>I picked up my phone.<p>

"Hello?"

"Lorena." It was Damon. "We're going on a mission."

I turned dow the music in the living room. "What are we doing?"

"We're going to take down whatever werewolf he's using for the ritual. No werewolf, no ritual."

This wasn't a good idea. Klaus would kill us. But I was bored beyond belief, and grateful that he was finally asking me to spend time with him more. "Fine. Where do I meet you?"

* * *

><p>Alaric's apartment. Alaric was there to invite both of us in. Once both of us were inside, Katherine sped over.<p>

"Are you trying to get me killed?"

Damon grabbed her and pushed her up against the wall. "I gave you vervain and now I'm here to collect." He told Alaric that he had it from here. When Alaric left, I settled onto the couch to watch Damon work his magic.

Damon told Katherine our plan and she told him it was a bad idea, to which he didn't listen. Then Katherine revealed that she wasn't being used for the sacrifice. Instead it was Caroline Forbes and Tyler Lockwood. When Damon mentioned that Elena had vampire blood in her system, Katherine confessed that they were hidden in the tomb.

* * *

><p>Damon and I went to the tomb after talking to Katherine. We were just about the walk in when-<p>

"Which one are you guys trying to save?" Came a voice from behind us. "The blonde or the wolf?" He appeared. He was tall and handsome, but he had an evil look to him. "Did you really think Klaus would leave them unprotected?"

Damon looked annoyed. "Wishful thinking." He said.

Damon sped over to him and pinned the witch to the ground. I started to run toward the tomb. Then I felt indescribable pain in my head. I gripped my skull and fell to the ground. I clawed at my head, trying to get whatever was in it out. Damon and I were both yelling when there was a gun shot. The witch fell to his knees. Damon sped to snap his neck.

The person holding the gun was Matt. My waiter from the Mystic Grill.

"What are you doing here?" Damon asked.

"Where's Caroline?" Matt countered. Oh, that's right. I remembered that Damon told me he was a friend of Elena's and Caroline's boyfriend.

Damon sighed impatiently. "Listen man, not a good time to play the hero."

Matt cocked the gun and held it up to Damon. "Where is she?" He looked at the witch. "What did he do to her?"

Damon held out his hands in surrender. "I'm just here to rescue her, ok?" He moved closer. Then in less than a second, Damon sped over and knocked Matt over the head with the gun.

"You're lucky I already screwed up once today or you'd be dead." He told the unconscious body.

"Damon." I groaned. "Was that necessary?"

"Yes." He said. He knelt to the ground and held the bullets up. They were wood bullets. I though Matt didn't know about vampires.

"I thought Matt didn't know about vampires?"

Damon looked at me. "He wasn't supposed to."

He left it at that as he started into the tomb. We walked down the stairs and into the tunnel. We eventually arrived in a bigger room. There was a pretty blonde girl changed to the wall. I rushed to her and broke the chains.

"Caroline Forbes?"

She nodded.

"Lorena Salvatore." I held out my hand to shake.

Damon swooped in and grabbed Caroline's arm. "Your boyfriends outside with a rifle loaded with wooden bullets. You have some explaining to do."

"What-Matt?" She said in surprise.

The boy that was changed on the other side of the room spoke up too. "Matt knows about you?" He must've been Tyler. He looked like a Lockwood.

Caroline shook her head. "No, I-"

"Ssh." Damon hushed her. "Tomorrows problem. Why don't we just get you out of here?" He started to pull her away and she resisted.

"Wait, Damon-No." She pulled her arm away. "I'm not leaving without him."

Damon huffed. "It's getting dark soon. How fast can you get the hell away from here?"

"I need to get to my families cellar. I can lock myself up." Tyler said.

"I'll help." Caroline added.

Damon walked over to Tyler and knelt down to his level. "Don't make me regret this." He pulled the chains out.

When we got out, it was dark. Matt was groaning and Caroline rushed to him. Caroline accused Damon of hitting him and Damon reminded her about the bullets. Tyler groaned and fell to the ground. I looked up at the full moon.

Tyler stood and gripped his chest. "It's starting."

"Ugh." Damon groaned. "Grab boy wonder and let's go." He told Caroline. He started walking with Tyler and I joined him. Caroline and Matt were slower behind us. We walked for a while. Damon's phone rang.

"Bad time little bro." Damon jogged with the rest of us while holding the phone to his hand. I eavesdropped on their conversation.

_"What the hell are you doing?" _Stefan's agitated voice came through.

"Saving the day." I said as I smiled and kept jogging. Damon smiled at me, then turned his attention back to Stefan.

"Figured you'd understand. Just tell Elena to stay put."

_"She's already gone, Damon."_

"What?"

_"Klaus came; He took her."_

Damon stopped running. His face scrunched up and he gripped his phone tighter. "I'll take care of it." He spoke into the phone, then hung up.

There was a sickening crack and Tyler groaned in pain. He kneeled onto the ground and his hands tried to grab the soil of the earth.

"Tyler!" Matt yelled.

Tyler propped up. His hands bent backwards. I stared in horror as he started to change in front of me. Tyler was groaning and cracking.

"I don't know if I could hold it off. Get out of here." Another crack and yelling from him.

"Tyler, it'll be ok." Caroline tried.

"Go!" Tyler yelled at us.

Caroline tried to calm him down, but Tyler was having none of it. He cracked again. Suddenly he bolted up and was heading straight for me. Damon ran into him and he tried to hold him off. Tyler was nipping and trying to bite him. There was the piercing of Damon's skin and that's when I sped over and pried Tyler off of him. I threw him somewhere behind me.

"Damon." I said breathlessly. He was bit. Damon was bit.

He got up quickly. "I'm fine."

Tyler yelled for us to get out of there. I moved to attack him. I wanted to kill him. Damon held onto me and told Caroline and Matt to get the Lockwood cellar. He gave them the bullets and then went off.

"Let's go." He said to me and we sped off into the night.

* * *

><p>"Are we going to talk about this?"<p>

"No." He walked up to Alaric's apartment.

"What do you mean 'no'?"

Damon ignored me and kept walking. I grabbed his arm roughly.

"Look at me. We'll find something. We'll find the cure. Somehow, I know we-"

"Stop." He said with angry eyes. "Go home, Lorena."

I shook my head. I wouldn't protest anymore. If he was going to die, there was no way in hell I wanted him to be mad at me when he did. I obeyed him. I went home. I went home and waited for Damon, or anyone to come.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 2- _The Last Day & The Sun Also Rises_

* * *

><p>Chapter 10: Death.<p>

Damon came home and went straight to his liquor.

"Damon-"

He put his hand out to stop me from talking. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. Probably Stefan's. Maybe he was telling him about the bite.

He didn't. He just told him that Jenna, Elena's Aunt, was being used as the vampire in the ritual. Stefan was surprised and not very happy. When Damon hung up the phone, I stood up and grabbed myself a drink.

"How are you feeling?" I asked him. I would try not to make this a big deal.

"I feel perfectly fine." He told me, and sipped his drink.

There was a hard knock on the door. When Damon didn't answer within two seconds, the person knocked again and again. It was John Gilbert. They argued and argued. Damon was angry but he talked like he was sad. He knew what he had done to Elena. He was either regretting it or feeling bad about it. My guess was feeling bad.

Damon moped around. He knew the sacrifice was happening and he knew that Elena was going to end up alive no matter who else died. That was enough for him. But when Alaric showed up and told him to follow, he did. And when I moved to go with him, Damon told me to stay there. I groaned and sat back down on the couch. If he wanted me to help, he would ask me too. But I knew there was something they weren't telling me.

* * *

><p>No one came home all night and I fell asleep on the couch. No one came home in the morning either. In the afternoon they finally showed up. They smiled and stood up but they both walked right past me and upstairs. I was still standing there when they came back in black suits. For a funeral I presumed. Someone died last night.<p>

"Hey." I said, making them stop and turn around. "Is he-"

"He's not dead. Klaus promised Elijah that he would reunite him with their family. Elijah took the bait and they both sped off."

My heart thumped in my chest. I tried not to show how scared I was. "Well, are you guys ok?"

"We're fine." Stefan assured me. "It's Elena who lost someone close to her. It's Elena who's not fine."

I didn't like Elena. I might've even hated her, but I felt pity for her. So many people were willing to die for her, and someone just did. Someone who meant a lot to her. That must've been really hard for her.

"Well, I could get changed in-"

"You're not invited." Damon said.

I was surprised. Not that I wasn't invited, but that Damon was being so cold. I could understand what they were going through. Both of them were watching someone they loved, hurting. And they could do nothing about it.

"Oh." I stepped back.

They bother walked out of the house. No goodbye, no 'see you later'. Gone, just like that. I had been spending a lot of time alone since i'd been here. Normally I could deal with being alone. But these were my brothers, and they we abandoning me and keeping secrets from me. I would deal with it now, but I didn't know how much longer I could go before I snapped.

* * *

><p>Stefan, Damon and all Elena's friends came back home. They all looked sad. Elena the most.<p>

I stood to leave the living room. I probably wasn't aloud to be in the same room as all these people at a time like this. Before I left I felt the urge to say something. I walked over to Elena. I didn't touch her or try to hug her.

"I'm sorry for your loss."

She nodded and said 'thank you'.

I left to go up to my room. I tried not too think of death. Jenna dying. Damon dying. I already thought I lost him once. I couldn't lose him again.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 2- _As I Lay Dying_

* * *

><p>Chapter 11: Klaus<p>

It was the next day and I was sitting in the living room reading a book, when Damon came into the house.

"Hey! You're finally back." I yelled to him.

He didn't say anything. Instead he went straight to the liquor cabinet and poured himself a drink. He took one sip and then rolled up his sleeves to see the bite. I looked away in disgust. Next thing Damon did was open the curtains and let the light flood into the living room. I rolled my eyes and returned to reading my book. Whatever he was doing, I wanted no part of it.

Suddenly I smelt burning flesh. I looked up to see his skin red and burning in the sunlight. And he was just standing there, with his arms open. Like he was accepting it. Accepting that he was going to die.

"Damon!" I threw the book somewhere behind me and sped to him. I wrapped my body around him and knocked him down to the ground. Stefan came running at the commotion.

"He was just standing there." I told Stefan angrily. I stood up and wiped myself off. "He was just letting himself burn."

Stefan's eyes flared and he grabbed Damon by the collar. He held him against the wall and told him that he wouldn't let him do that. They sped all around the house, before they disappeared downstairs. I listened intently to what was happening.

I heard Stefan close the cellar door. "You're not dying today." Then a loud lock.

"What's the plan superman?" I heard Damon say.

I sped downstairs to see Stefan standing at the door. And Damon inside the tiny room.

"I'm going to find a away out of this." Stefan informed Damon.

Damon looked at him as if he were joking. "Oh right, the miracle cure. Good luck with that one."

"I got Bonnie looking for something. Anything."

"Always the hero, Stefan. Just tell me goodbye and get it over with." He erupted in loud and painful coughs. He rolled over and I saw blood spurt into his hands. Stefan gave me a look. I looked to Damon.

"Lie still." I tried to sound strong, but my voice cracked a little. "Conserve your strength."

I sped upstairs and banged on the wall. I grabbed some books and threw them around. I pushed furniture over and crushed little decors, paintings, and vases. Stefan sped over to me and grabbed my shoulders.

"Hey. It's going to be ok."

I led my head fall down as tears fell. When Stefan tried to hug me, I pushed him away with my strength. He went flying across the room.

"He's going to die." I said strongly. Hot tears fell from my face. "He's dying."

Stefan stood up and walked over to me once again. All the anger fled from my body and I fell onto the couch.

He said beside me and put his arm around me. "We'll find a cure."

I put my hands in my face, but didn't cry. I was done crying. "There is no cure, Stefan. You're too optimistic."

"And you're too pessimistic." He grabbed my chin and made me look at him. "We'll find a cure."

I didn't know if he really thought that or was just saying it for me anymore so I nodded. I knew we wouldn't. There was no cure and Damon would die. But I nodded anyway, for the benefit of Stefan.

Stefan stopped comforting me after a while. He called Alaric and then left the house to go see if there was a spell the heal a werewolf bite.

* * *

><p>I picked up the phone eagerly.<p>

"Did you find anything?"

Stefan sighed. _"A name."_

"Ok...what name?" I asked.

_"Klaus."_

I dropped my glass on the floor. Klaus. I thought I would never have to face Klaus again. Once the ritual was done, I was sure he would leave Mystic Falls, considering there was nothing left here for him. Now we needed Klaus to save Damon?

"No." I said.

"_What?"_

"No. Don't go to Klaus." Not only did I not want to see Klaus, but he was dangerous.

_"Do you want Damon to live?"_

I sighed. "Yes."

_"Great because so do I. I'm glad we're on the same page." _

I rolled my eyes. "Just tell me when are where."

* * *

><p>Alaric's apartment. Klaus was still using it as his own.<p>

We walked up the stairs and to the door. Stefan didn't knock, he just walked right in and I followed. Katherine didn't waste time being angry with us.

"Two days I've been waiting. I'm supposed to be free of Klaus's compulsion by now. He's supposed to be dead."

Stefan and I stepped closer. "We ran into complications."

"Complications?" Katherine asked, annoyed.

"Doesn't really matter. I just need to find him. Do you have any idea of where he might be?"

Katherine grabbed us suddenly. She pinned us both up against the wall. We were both about to fight back but then Katherine said:

"Klaus. You're back." She dragged Stefan out from behind the wall. "Look who decided to come for a visit."

I heard Klaus's voice for the first time in a very long time. It was low and dangerous, just like it used to be.

"You just keep popping up, don't you?"

Stefan disappeared from my sight as he walked forward. "I need your help for my brother."

"Whatever it is, it's going to have to wait a tick. See I have an obligation to my brother that requires my immediate attention."

Footsteps coming near me. He turned at the last second and I felt relief. I looked at Katherine. She was looking at me with confusion. I shook my head at her to not say anything about me being here.

I heard Elijah speak up for the first time in a long time too. "You understand how important family is or you wouldn't be here." I heard him step closer to Stefan. "My brother gave me his word that he would reunite me with my own."

Klaus was suddenly there. "And so I shall."

Elijah screamed and I winced. I heard the dagger pierce his skin. I heard him fall to the ground. I covered my mouth to stop my heavy breathing. Then Klaus was suddenly in front on me. I saw his back and his hair that was now cut short. He was holding Stefan by the neck.

"Now, what am I going to do with you."

I took a deep breath and stepped out from my hiding spot.

"Hello Klaus."


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries.

Episode: Season 2- _As I Lay Dying_

* * *

><p>Chapter 12: A life for a life.<p>

Klaus didn't take his hands off of Stefan, he just turned his head.

"Lorena, sweetheart. It's been a long time."

He looked exactly the same. That made me even more scared.

Stefan looked confused. "How do you-"

Suddenly Klaus dug the dagger into Stefan's chest.

"No." I breathed out and took a step forward.

"Take one more step, and he's dead." He twisted the dagger. I stood there feeling hopeless.

"Do you feel that?" He tormented Stefan. "It's scraping against your heart. The slightest little movement and you're dead."

"He's just trying to help our brother."

"Brother." Klaus laughed. "You could imagine my surprise when I met Stefan for the first time. When he told me he was a Salvatore."

I had no idea what he was talking about. Stefan never knew Klaus until a couple of days ago. Stefan never even know _of_ Klaus until a couple days ago. I was the only one who of all the people in Mystic Falls, except for Elijah and Katherine, to ever see Klaus in person until a couple days ago.

"The witches said you had a cure." I tried to see his reaction, but he was turned around.

Stefan spoke up, in his pained state. "Make me a deal. Just give me the cure, and I'll do whatever you want."

Klaus yanked the dagger out of Stefan and Stefan hunched on the ground in pain. I immediately went to him and rubbed his back for some comfort. It probably wasn't doing much, but that was all I could offer.

"Trouble is, I don't think you'll be any good to me-" I looked up to see that Klaus was pouring a blood bag into a cup. "The way you are now."

Oh no. Damon told me everything about ripper Stefan. Klaus was going to make Stefan drink it. Make him that person again. I just didn't know how that would benefit Klaus.

"You're just shy of useless." Klaus finished.

I sighed in relief when I saw Klaus drink it and not walk over to Stefan. Then he walked over to Stefan and I backed away. Klaus knelt next to Stefan.

"I heard about this one vampire, crazy bloke, always on and off the wagon for decades. When he was off, he was magnificent." He stood abruptly. "1917, he went into Monterey and wiped out an entire migrant village...a true ripper. Sound familiar?"

Stefan looked down, ashamed. He knew it was him, Klaus knew it was him, Katherine knew it was him, and I knew it was him. We all knew. The only person who seemed to want to flaunt it was Klaus.

Stefan looked up. "I haven't been that way in a very long time."

Klaus stopped drinking the blood to speak. "Well, that's the vampire I can make a deal with. That is the kind of talent I can use when I leave this town."

It became crystal clear. Klaus wanted Stefan to be a ripper again, so he could use him as his right hand man. To go on quests with and do all his dirty work for him.

"Katerina, come here." He gestured for her to come over. Katherine moved to close and he took her wrist. He brought it to his mouth and bit it. Katherine screamed and pulled away in shock. She kept muttering 'no', when Klaus put his wrist to her mouth and made her drink. When he pulled away, he had a sick smile on his face. Then suddenly, Katherine's bite started to heal. His blood was the cure.

"You want your cure?" His head moved toward Katherine's bite-free wrist. "There it is."

Klaus wiped his mouth and Stefan came to his revelation.

"Your blood is the cure."

"Gotta love mother nature." Klaus smirked. "Now," He put his arm around Stefan. "Lets talk, you and I." He guided him away and I hesitated to follow. "You can come too, Lorena."

I gulped and followed behind them.

* * *

><p>Stefan and I sat and watched and Klaus retrieved a bottle and cut himself. He drained his blood into, slowly.<p>

"There it is." He held it up and looked at it. "You want to save your brother? How about a decade-long bender?"

I was the first to speak. "No."

Klaus looked at me with a smile. "I wasn't asking you, sweetheart."

I leaned back into the seat and crossed my arms. I waited for Stefan to say something.

"I'm not like that anymore." He said.

Klaus didn't look displeased. He smiled. "Well, that's too bad. You would have made a hell of a wingman." Klaus started pouring down the sink. I sat up quickly. That was the opportunity, just draining away.

"Wait." I stopped Klaus. I said that to give Stefan a choice. I was conflicted. I loved both of my brothers, but their was only one decision. Either Damon dies and Stefan stays in Mystic Falls, or Damon lives and Stefan goes with Klaus. In the end, I wanted both of my brothers alive. At least if Stefan was with Klaus, I knew he would be safe, not himself, and probably not in good condition, but safe.

Klaus looked at Stefan. "I want you to join me for a drink." He slid a blood bag down to the end of the table, where Stefan was standing. I watched Stefan carefully. He picked up the blood back and removed the cap. He waited a second, and then he brought the blood to his lips. He took one, small sip.

"Finish it." Klaus didn't like Stefan's sip. "All of it."

Stefan looked hesitant. Klaus sighed and put down his glass.

"You do everything I say and I save your brother. That's the deal."

Stefan slowly brought the bag to his lips again. I watched him drink it. That time he squeezed the bag and tipped it back. That time he was more eager to drink it. He drank it until he finished it, and then he threw the bag to the side.

Klaus gave him another bag. "Again."

* * *

><p>I wasn't even hungry to whole time. I was sick. I was sick watching Stefan do that to himself, and watching him become the person he hated most.<p>

Stefan was sprawled on the floor like an animal. Katherine and I were sitting in chairs, observing. Klaus was standing.

"You're very cooperative." He told Stefan. "It's almost as if you're enjoying it." He walked over to Stefan and dropped another bag in front of him. Stefan breathed heavily.

"No more." He demanded. "Not until you give me the cure."

"Not until we make a deal." Klaus said. "It's your choice, Stefan. You can either remain here living your life in Mystic Falls, or you can embrace what you truly are, leave town with me, and save your brother's life." He held out the bag.

Stefan hesitated little before he grabbed it and ripped into it. I watched with disgust. Klaus watched with amusement.

"That's the spirit." He stood up and walked over to the counter and grabbed the bottle. "Sweetheart," He called to Katherine. He handed her the blood vile. "Take this to Damon and come right back."

Katherine was surprised. "You want me to leave?"

"No." Stefan tried to say. Katherine wasn't on vervain anymore. Klaus's compulsion wouldn't work.

"Yes. And if I were you-"

Katherine sped out of the room.

"I'd hurry." Klaus finished.

I stared at the door. Katherine would not get that blood to Damon. She would run and never look back. I sped off after her.

* * *

><p>I had chased her for only a minute or two before I caught her shoulder.<p>

"Give me the cure." I demanded.

Katherine jiggled the bottle in front of me and laughed. When I tried to grab it, she pulled away.

"Let me tell you something first."

"Fine." I said. If it meant getting the cure, I didn't care.

"In 1864, I wasn't being fake with you, Lorena." She looked defeated, a way I had never seen Katherine. "I really liked you. Kind of like a little sister."

I thought back to all those times she bought me dresses, taught me all the lady-like things, played with me, spent full days with just me, and told me I was beautiful. Katherine really was a role model to me when I was ten. But when I was ten, I was too young to realize what she was doing and what kind of manipulative qualities she possessed.

"Great." I fake smiled. "Can I have the cure now?"

Katherine rolled her eyes and handed me the cure. "I would've went to the Damon anyway."

"Sure." I said sarcastically and went to speed off. She caught my arm before I could.

"Seriously. I owed Damon one. You can consider him owed." She turned the other way. I caught her arm.

"Katherine." She turned around and looked at me expectingly. I hesitated, but got it out eventually. "Have a nice life." I didn't say it sarcastically, and she seemed taken back, but quickly recovered.

"Thank you, little Lorena." She tried to smile, but it was a smirk. "Tell Damon and Elena, I say goodbye."

"Will do."

We both sped off in different directions.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries.

Episode: Season 2- _As I lay Dying._

* * *

><p>Chapter 13: Gone.<p>

I slammed into the doorway as I came to a stop. I saw Elena laying on the bed with Damon and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"I got it." I rushed out. "I got the cure."

Elena stood up from the bed, looking the she had done something guilty. I ran over to Damon and tipped the vile to his lips. He took it gratefully. I stroked his hair back and smiled.

"Where's Stefan?" Elena asked.

"He's uh-" I struggled to find the right words. "He's paying for this." I held up the bottle.

"What?"

"He gave himself over to Klaus to pay for the cure."

Elena walked over to me. "What do you mean 'he gave himself over'?"

"He gave up everything to save Damon." I said. "He won't be coming back for a while."

I heard Elena sigh deeply and then mumble something and leave the room. I crawled into the bed next to Damon. He was gaining more energy and was sat up completely. I set down beside him and let my head fall onto his shoulder. We sat together in silence, until Damon spoke up.

"Why would Stefan do that?"

I sighed. "You know that Stefan would do anything to save you. We both would."

Damon groaned. "He's stupid."

"He's brave." I said strongly. "Stefan gave up everything for you, Damon. Be a little grateful."

"Whatever." Damon shifted away from me and my head fell off his shoulder. I leaned my head back against the headboard of Damon's bed.

I knew Damon was just acting that way because he was upset. Yes, he was alive but now Stefan was gone. Stefan was gone because he needed the cure for Damon. The whole situation wrapped back around to Damon getting bit.

I put a hand on Damon's shoulder. "I'm glad you're not dead."

I heard him laugh. "So am I."

I got out of the bed and went to the door. I stood by it, just staring at him for a couple seconds. I almost lost him. I almost lost my brother.

"I love you, Damon."

He turned to face me. "Don't get all mushy on me."

"Damon." I scolded.

"Fine, fine." He smiled. "I love you too, little Lorena."


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 3- _The Birthday_

A/N: Really sorry for my stupidity in uploading the wrong chapters!

* * *

><p>Chapter 14: Making a point.<p>

I came out of my room to see Damon and Elena standing in front of each other. That would've been perfectly fine. Except Damon was almost fully naked.

"What's going on here?" I smirked.

Damon had returned to being his normal self after he healed. Elena usually just ignored his advances, but always came to our house. The only thing that seemed to keep Elena coming back, was her urge to find Stefan. I had them too. Elena and I got the locations and Damon went to find them. He always said they were dead ends.

"I was just about to tell Damon, that Sheriff Forbes gave us another location to check. Memphis."

"Another dead end, you mean." Damon was such a buzzkill.

"You don't know that." Elena tried.

You're right, Elena. This could be the one." Damon's tone turned sarcastic. "Yep. After almost two months, this could be the clue that tells us Stefan's alive and well and living in Graceland."

"Fine." Elena gave up. "I'll go by myself."

She gasped when Damon snatched the paper from her hands.

"And let Klaus know that you're tracking him? He thinks you're dead. Let's keep it that way."

"It's a new lead, Damon. We haven't had one in a while."

"Ok, i'll check it out. If I find anything, i'll call you guys." He nodded to Elena and I.

"But-"

"But-"

Elena and I both tried to protest, but Damon was gone to his room. I turned back into my room and got into the shower. There was no use in arguing with Damon.

* * *

><p>"I'm going to go scope out the new location." Damon yelled from downstairs.<p>

I sped down and stood behind him. "I'll come with you."

He turned around. "No you won't."

"You never let me come." I huffed.

"Go out and hang out with your friends." Damon put on his jacket. He opened the door and turned to be before closing it. "Oh, wait. You don't have any." He laughed at closed the door before I could get him.

I banged the door. "You're an asshole!"

I sighed and went back upstairs. I kind of had friends. I made a huge effort with Elena. I still found her endlessly annoying, but I was alright with her. I also had been seeing Alaric a lot. I just liked being around him because he was so handsome. I would never go after him though. He's Damon's friend, his girlfriend just died, and he's too old for me or he looks like he's too old for me. Other than them, Caroline was really the only person I talked too. She was very nice to me. I needed that. I saw Jeremy and Matt occasionally when I went to the Mystic Grill. But I wasn't their friends.

I closed the door behind me and sat on my bed. I picked up my book I had been reading and presumed from my spot.

* * *

><p>Damon returned in time for Elena's birthday celebration. There were so many teenagers in our house. It was ridiculous, so many drunken teenagers.<p>

I was talking and laughing with Caroline, when I noticed Elena had finally come downstairs.

"Hey, look. Elena's finally come downstairs."

Caroline turned and smiled at her friend. We both walked over to them.

"You like?" Caroline asked excitedly. Elena hesitated. "Don't answer that." Caroline pointed.

"This is 'keeping it small'?" Elena asked.

Caroline smiled widely to convince Elena. Elena gave in that instant.

"What are we drinking?" She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. Caroline giggled and held out her arm for Elena to take. Elena took it and they walked away.

"And how are you this fine evening?" I asked Damon.

He took a big sip of the bottle he was holding. "I'm trying."

I followed him outside, where we met Alaric. He stayed out of the way of the crazy, drunken teenagers. We talked and drank on our own accord. Elena came out and told Alaric that Jeremy was smoking. I had to smile. I remember when I used to do stupid stuff like that. This party was awesome.

* * *

><p>"Andie wants me to pick her up." Damon said, looking down at his phone.<p>

"Your fake, compelled girlfriend wants you to be a chivalrous boyfriend?" Alaric asked and I giggled. No way in hell was Damon doing that.

"Well, it's a complicated dynamic." He tried to explain. "Hold the fort down, will you?"

I was surprised to say the least. He was making it seem like he actually cared about Andie. I was maybe a little excited. I really liked Andie.

I hopped off the stone seat. "I'll come with you." I was getting bored.

Damon laughed and shook his head as he walked away. "No."

I walked beside him. "Yes."

* * *

><p>Damon and I walked in into the studio, It was dark and completely empty. No signs of life anywhere. Then Damon's phone rang.<p>

_"Where are you?"_ Elena's angry voice rang through.

Damon dove into a lie. "I'm by the...punch bowl."

_"Don't do that, Damon. Don't lie to me."_ She paused. _"I saw your closet."_

Creep.

"Oh-oh, gotta go-gotta go break up beer pong." He hung up.

I stopped walking and looked at Damon peculiarly. Damon turned around with an annoyed expression.

"What?"

"What was she talking about, Damon? What's in your closet?" I asked with a hard voice. He was hiding something from me. I thought we were past that.

"Nothing." He continued to walk.

I grabbed his shirt and slung him back to face me. "What-" I tightened my grip. "Is in your closet?"

Damon removed my hands from him roughly. "I've been tracking Klaus."

I must've misheard him. "You what?"

"I have been tracking Klaus." He said again and started walking.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked angrily. We probably could've had Stefan by now. I thought about it. Was this an Elena thing? Did he not want Stefan to come back because he knew that she would go right back to Stefan? "Do not answer that."

"You told me that it was ok to be selfish with the ones we love." He argued.

I started yelling. "Not when our brother is on the line, Damon!" I huffed angrily. "You can't do stuff like this! It's not right."

He ignored me and walked into stage three. I followed him with a deep sigh. I guess we would talk about it later.

It was empty and dark. Like the rest of the place. Then my foot hit something. Andie's purse.

"Stefan."

I looked up to see Damon and Stefan in a staring contest.

"Hello brother." He looked at me. "Sister."

I wanted to run and hug him, but something was stopping me. The blank expression on his face. He looked like he didn't even know us.

"You don't write. You don't call." Damon started.

"I need you to stop following me." Stefan said, loud and clear. "Causing some problems."

"With who, Klaus?" Damon scoffed. "I'm supposed to care what he thinks?"

I stood behind Damon. I would wait for them to battle it out and then...and then I didn't know. I had no idea how this was going to end.

"What I need you to do...is let me go." Stefan said.

Damon stepped closer. "Saw your latest artwork in Tennessee. Walking a fine line there, my friend." They sounded so cold to each other. It was scaring me. "Keep that up and there will be no saving you."

Stefan laughed humourlessly. "See the thing is, I don't need any saving. I just want you to let me go."

"Oh, I got a birthday girl at home who's not going to let me do that."

Stefan considered. "You know, maybe I haven't made my point." He looked up at the ceiling. "Hey, Andie, you still there?"

Oh no, Andie.

"Andie?" Damon asked stupidly.

"Damon?" She sounded scared. "I can't move, Damon. He told me that I can't move." She started crying. I looked to Damon for him to do something.

"No, no, no, it's ok, Andie, stay calm."

I looked at Stefan. "Not cool, brother."

Damon started walking closer to Stefan.

"Oh c'mon." Stefan started. "It's a little bit cool, huh? Hey, Andie," He smirked. "You can move now."

"No!"

"No!"

I moved first, but Stefan pushed me with all his strength. That sent me flying against the wall. I heard something smash against the wall after me. Stefan was holding Damon up against the wall. Andie was falling.

"No." I said quietly. I moved as fast as I could to catch her. I was too late. There was a crack and she wasn't moving. I flipped her over. Her face was bruised and bloody.

"Andie?" I tried, though I knew she was dead.

I heard Stefan saying something to Damon. Then Damon was rushed over to where I was. Damon gripped her clothes in agony. He looked hurt. I looked around to see if Stefan was still there. He was gone. I looked back to Damon, who was on his knees, looking at Andie's dead body.

I sighed and put my arms around her to pick her up. "We should bury her."

"No." Damon said and stood up.

"But, Damon-"

"No, Lorena." He yelled. "Let's go."

I waited for him to change his mind. Damon didn't, he just kept walking away from me and Andie's body. I pushed the hair out of Andie's face and sighed. Then I got up and followed Damon back to the Salvatore boarding house.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 3- _The Birthday & The Hybrid_

* * *

><p>Chapter 15: Saving.<p>

When we got home, I went straight to my bedroom. I didn't come out until all the people left the party and I heard Damon smashing things in his room. When I walked into him room, he was throwing things, breaking things, kicking things, knocking things over. I flinched and cried as I watched him. He was about to smash a guitar, when he noticed me standing in to doorway. He set it down gently and stood there, looking at me.

"Can you-" I sobbed. "Can you just be my big brother for five minutes?" I cried. "Just five-"

I stopped talking when Damon brought me into a big hug. I cried into his shoulder and he stroked my long hair.

"He's not the same. He's not Stefan."

"Ssh." He cooed. "It will all be ok, somehow, it'll be ok again."

That was probably the first optimistic thing I heard him say since Stefan went missing. I hugged him tighter.

"I hope you're right, Damon."

He held me as I cried. Eventually Damon tucked me into bed, just like when I was a kid. He tucked me in and kissed my forehead goodnight.

* * *

><p>I woke in a gross state. I was in yesterday's clothes and yesterdays makeup. I got up and took a shower immediately. After my shower, I went to the kitchen for breakfast. I ate my waffles contently. After crying last night, I wanted to be done with it. I had a good cry, now I wouldn't cry again.<p>

Damon walked into the kitchen. "Good morning."

"Good-"

Damon's cell phone rang. He's a very popular guy, I guess. I didn't listened in on the conversation. Only because it was Alaric on the other line and I knew it would be business. When he hung up I expected him to tell me he was leaving and for me to stay at home. But he told me to come with.

I looked around the kitchen jokingly. "Are you talking to me?"

Damon rolled his eyes and walked to the front door. "Don't make me change my mind."

I smiled and followed.

* * *

><p>We drove to the mountain, and then sped all the way up it. Damon told me we were back up for Elena and Alaric. They were going to hunt down a pack of werewolves, because they thought that's where Stefan might've been.<p>

I was happy to come along for the ride.

When we got there, Damon didn't waste anytime. He pushed Elena into the lake and I didn't try to cover my laugh. Elena emerged seconds later.

"Damon!" She looked to me. "How are you guys even here?"

"Thanks for the tip brother." Damon said to Alaric.

Elena shook her head. "You sold me out."

"You'd think I'd take you into a mountain range of werewolves on a full moon without backup?"

Elena shook her head again and Damon and her argued. Elena knew that Damon was going to take her back home. Damon had enough when Elena wouldn't get out. He got into the water and grabbed her himself. They just argued more about how Elena needed to stay safe, and being so close to Klaus wasn't.

"Damon, please." Elena begged.

For once, I was on her side. I wanted to find Stefan as much as she did. Damon was really slowing us down. We needed to get going.

"C'mon, Damon." I said.

"Ok, ok." He finally said. "But we are out of here before the moon is full and we're werewolf bait." Damon gestured to him and I.

Elena breathed deeply. "I promise."

"Unless you want to relive that whole death bed kissy thing."

I covered my mouth to hide the laughter.

"I said I promise." Elena said quickly.

"Fine."

Damon walked out of the water and over to me. Alaric, Damon, and I started walking up to mountain and Elena trailed behind.

We went on for a long time, and we were getting nothing. The sun was starting to set.

Suddenly, a twig snapped. We all watched more cautiously. Then another snap and Alaric raised his weapon. A man emerged from the trees. He looked disgusting. He was dirty and had blood all over him and on his face. It was weird. Like he had blood instead of tears.

"Stay where you are." Alaric kept his weapon pointed.

The mans eyes zeroed in on me. "Vampire."

He rushed forward and grabbed me. I rushed forward too and clamped my arm around his neck. He was faster than me and stronger than me. It took me by surprise and he pushed me up against a tree. I gasped as a thick piece of wood pierced my skin. Damon pulled him off of me and then wrestled around. Alaric shot at the wolf, but no result. I saw Elena grab a wolfs pane bomb. Damon exploded it in the wolfs face. He screamed and fell to the ground.

Damon rushed over to me and gripped my shoulders. I screamed as he pulled me off the tree. My stomach healed instantly. I walked over to the wolf with anger set in my body. I pulled my foot back and kicked him in the stomach. He spun over onto his front and then he didn't move.

"Let me guess...hybrid." Alaric said.

I turned him over and picked him up. "We need something to hold him."

"I got ropes in my bag." Elena dug into her pack and retrieved the ropes.

I propped him against the tree as Alaric and Damon tied him there. They made the last knot.

"These ropes aren't gonna hold him much longer. What else do we have?" Damon asked.

"Ric, here. Take these." Elena handed Alaric more rope. Rope laced with vervain. Damon reached out for them.

"Ah! Ow!"

"I said Ric."

Alaric took the roped and started putting them around the wolf. "Alright right, that's the last of the vervain. We don't have enough stuff to hold him." He stood back and we all looked at the wolf. "I don't think we're going to make it over that ridge before the full moon."

Elena stepped forward. "If we can get him to talk, we don't have to." She reached out hesitantly to touch him. When she did, he gasped awake. His neck cracked and then he started screaming.

"Is he turning?" I said in disbelief.

Elena looked up at the sky. "It's impossible. It's still daylight."

"Tell him that." Alaric said.

Damon rushed forward and grabbed the wolf by the shoulders. Elena looked scared.

"There aren't supposed to be werewolves out here until the moon is full."

Alaric spoke up again. "You know, those ropes aren't going to hold the wolf."

The wold snarled in Damon's face and I saw his fangs grow out.

"Damon, let's just go, ok?" I tugged on his shoulder urgently. He stared at the wolf. "Now, Damon!" I gripped his shoulder and turned him back around. We all starting running.

We ran as fast as we could. We ran even in the darkness. Oh no. I wanted to get out of here. If I got bit, Klaus would never heal me. I would be dead. That's when Elena tripped. We all stopped. There was a wolf in front of her. Elena moved to get up.

"Don't move." Damon warned her.

I closed my eyes tightly. Do something Lorena.

"Here doggie." I said teasingly. I looked at Damon, who looked at me with surprise. "You owe me." I said before I ran off. I ran as fast as I could. I slowed down and started walking when I didn't hear anything. I walked cautiously through the trees. I came completely still when I heard a twig snap. When I heard growling from behind me, I whipped around. It was the same guy we tied up. But he was a guy, not a wolf. I could have the upper hand. I moved quickly. I punched him in the face and missed. He tried to punch me, but I ducked. He swung his hands around like a maniac, but I dodged everyone. On one duck, I took him out by grabbing his legs and launching forward. He kicked me off of him. My ribs cracked as I fell to the ground. We both got up quickly and I was breathing hard as I stared at him.

I was going to die.

He launched forward and we both gripped each other's shoulders. He nipped at me multiple times. I could feel my arms becoming weaker. Suddenly he fell to the ground. I looked at his body and then back up. Stefan was standing there with the wolf's heart in his hands.

"Stefan."

He threw the heart on the ground. "What part of 'don't follow me anymore' got lost in translation, Lorena?"

"Elena dragged us out here." I said, as I caught my breath. And suddenly Damon was there.

"Fancy meeting you here." He said to Stefan.

I took off, so Damon could stay with Elena and he came after me. He was so stupid sometimes.

Stefan repeated his question he asked me. Damon had the same answer as me, but he added onto it.

"She's not gonna give up on you."

Stefan shook his head. "Well, she has to. Because I'm never coming back."

I hated Stefan at that moment. I hated that he was so set on staying away from us, even if he was trying to keep us safe. He was killing me.

"Why don't you take her home?" Stefan continued. "See if you could keep her there this time."

They both nodded. Damon grabbed my arm and pulled me away. I looked back at Stefan, but he was gone.

"He saved me."

Damon scoffed. "Ya, about that, you can't just go and run off whe-"

"He saved me, Damon." I ripped my arm from his grip. "He still has his humanity or else he wouldn't have bothered."

Damon didn't say anything. He sped off to where the car was. I sighed and sped after him. We came to a walk when we saw it.

"Damon." Elena said as she got out of the truck. "Are you ok? Did you-"

"We're fine." Damon assured her. I scoffed. Ya, you're welcome, Elena.

"Bite-free. Get back in the car, please." Damon bumped into Elena. I rolled my eyes and walked past them and stood by Alaric. He asked me if I was ok and I told him I was fine.

Elena's whining voice started up. "Can you just give me a minute to appreciate that you're not dead?"

Damon raised his eyebrows. "I'll give you 10 seconds. 9, 8-" He grabbed Elena. "Hey, Ric, did you happen to see where I parked my car?"

Alaric and I walked around the front of his car and past Damon.

"Damon, stop being such a caveman." Elena said as Damon pushed her toward the car.

"6..." Damon shoved her into the front seat.

Once Elena was situated, Damon and I walked to his car and drove back home.

* * *

><p>As soon as we got home, Damon was leaving again.<p>

"Are you going to go see her?" I asked, while twirling my drink around. I was sitting on the couch with the warm fireplace in front of me and I was having a drink.

It wasn't a good night. I risked my life for Elena and she didn't even look at me. I was getting tired of her. And Damon was being his normal self. I wasn't in the mood for his personality.

"Yes." Damon walked toward the door.

"Stop." I commanded. When he didn't listen, I threw my drink. It smashed against the wall in front of him.

"What is it?" He turned around.

"You were wrong, Damon." I stood up and walked over to him. "Stefan can be saved."

He stayed quiet and I continued.

"Even when he kills people that we care for and refuses the come home...he couldn't let me die."

"I know."

I started to argue. "Damon-" I stopped. "What?"

"I said, I know." He said. "I saw him save you, Lorena. I was there too." He playfully rolled his eyes.

I smiled. "Let's bring him back home."

He hugged me. "We'll try."

He left to go see Elena. I smiled as I walked up to my bedroom. We were going to bring Stefan home, not matter what it took.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 2- _The End of the Affair_

* * *

><p>Chapter 16: Failed.<p>

"Chicago." Damon burst into my room.

I kept my eyes on my book and turned the page. "You should really knock, Damon."

"Stefan and Klaus are in Chicago."

That made me put my book down and and speed over to him. "How'd you find that?"

Damon rolled his eyes. "Katherine."

I laughed. "Well, at least she's still alive to give us some useful information. When are we going?"

"Today." He threw my coat at me. "Now."

We started driving. I was content until we stopped at the Gilbert's residence.

I sighed in annoyance. "I didn't know we were bringing baggage."

Damon slapped my arm and got out to get Elena. When she got in the car, I turned up the radio loudly. Hopefully both of them would take it as a sign to stay silent.

* * *

><p>We entered an old apartment. Stefan's old apartment to be exact.<p>

"Here we are." Damon opened the door. "Stefan's second personality home."

I swiped my hand along the surface of a desk, picking up dust. "Obviously he hasn't been here."

"Tours not over yet." Damon said. He walked over to the shelf that held all some food and what not. He felt around the side. I heard a switch. Damon opened up the wall and inside was small room.

I raised my eyebrows and walked over. "Impressive."

Damon walked inside, while Elena and I stood in the doorway.

"Stefan hid his alcohol. What a monster." Elena said sarcastically. She was looking at the bottles. But Damon was staring at the wall.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Look harder."

We both peered inside. On the wall was a list of names. Lots, and lots of names.

"It's a list of names." Elena said, as if it was nothing. I on the other hand had already known. Damon mentioned it to me before we left. He told me the type of things Stefan used to do.

I traced my hands along the wall. "These are all of his victims." I informed Elena.

"Still handling it?" Damon said cockily and walked out. I smirked and followed him. Elena spoke up, trying to be an annoying smart ass.

"What were you two doing in the 1920's?"

"I was in Paris rolling around in money, drinking, and dancing." I smiled at the memories. Paris was a great time for me.

"I was around." Damon said. "Chicago's a big city. Stefan was a cocky ripper douche. But I could still avoid him and still indulge in a few Daisy Buchanan's of my own."

Elena shivered in disgust. Damon nudged my shoulder and we started to leave.

"Where are you two going?" Elena asked. We both kept walking.

"His old stomping grounds." Damon told her.

Elena's footsteps picked up from behind us. "I'm coming with you."

"No." Damon said. "You stay here and whip up an actual plan. We'll come back when we find him."

He closed the door and walked out of the apartment.

* * *

><p>We entered the bar. It was loud and full of people. Gloria's bar, it was called. We both walked up to the counter. A woman, probably in her late forties or early fifties, seemed to recognize Damon.<p>

"Well, look what the wind blew in." She tossed the towel she was wiping up with aside. "Last I heard, you hated this place."

"Gloria. Damn." Damon looked her up and down. "If I knew you were going to age like this, I would have stuck around."

Ew.

She chuckled. "I always did like you better."

She knew Stefan too.

"But I see your brother is still running in the wrong crowd."

I spoke up. "You've seen him?"

She looked at me with an odd expression and I laughed.

"Where are my manners?" I stuck out my hand. "Lorena Salvatore. Sister."

She shook my hand. "Gloria." She pulled her hand back and started wiping the counter again. "Ya, I've seen him with Klaus. Bad combo."

"You know where they went?" Damon asked as she poured two drinks.

"They'll be back here later tonight. They're running a little errand for me." She pushed the drinks to us.

"Gloria." Damon put his hand on hers. "Don't be a tease. What kind of errand?"

She smiled. "I don't think so. You may be cute, but you're still a vampire." She pulled her hand away.

I smirked and sipped my drink. Damon looked at me.

"Shut up."

* * *

><p>We went back to Stefan's apartment. When we got there, Elena was scared and angry. She nearly got discovered but Klaus and Damon was acting like he didn't care. He told her to get changed and then told her the plan. We were going to go back to the bar. Damon and I would distract Klaus and Elena would deal with Stefan. She would have to do it quick too, because Klaus would kill us after five minutes.<p>

After Elena got changed we went back to the bar. We saw Stefan. He was sitting at he bar with Klaus. When Stefan's eyes fell on mine and Damon's, we motioned for him to follow. We walked outside and waited.

We waited for all of thirty seconds when Stefan came speeding out and grabbed Damon. He pushed him up against a car.

"What is wrong with you?"

"Stefan." I put my hand on his shoulder.

Damon pushed him roughly. "What is wrong with _you_?"

I glared at Damon. That was not the approach we agreed on.

"Damon." I said warningly.

They both ignored me.

"You kill Andie one day, you save Lorena's life the next." He looked at me and back to Stefan. "What are you good, bad? Pick one!" He whisper-yelled.

"Damon!" I scolded.

"Klaus almost saw Elena today, You have to get her out of Chicago."

Damon argued back. "She's not going anywhere until she's got you checked into the vampire rehab and on the mend. Trust me. I've tried."

"She is the key to everything." Stefan said. "Klaus can't know that she's alive."

"What are you talking about?" I asked. For the first time, both boys looked at me. Stefan explained.

"She was supposed to die in the sacrifice and she didn't. Now Klaus can't create any new hybrids." I closed my eyes. Such a mess. "His witch is seconds away from figuring that out. Tell Elena to go home and forget about me."

I opened my eyes. Elena was standing barely ten feet away. Damon looked over to her.

"Tell her yourself."

We left them alone and went inside. Plan was that Damon would talk to Klaus and I would join if things got heated. Damon sat down at the bar and I listened to their conversation.

"I see they've opened the doors to the riff raff now."

Damon smiled. "Oh, honey, I've been called worse."

Klaus chuckled. "You don't give up, do you?"

"Give me my brother back, and you'll never have to see me again."

"Well, I am torn. You see, I promised Stefan no harm would come to his family, but how many freebies did I really sign up for?" He started, but he wasn't finished. "And clearly you want to die, otherwise you wouldn't be here, so..."

Damon pat his hand on the table. "What can I say? I'm a thrill seeker."

Klaus grabbed Damon's neck and I took a step forward. Damon told me not to step in unless it he was really going to kill him. I was worried, but he looked like he was just going to threaten him.

I watched Klaus pick up the little umbrella that you put in your drinks as decor and repeatedly stab Damon with it. I winced every time but I still wouldn't step in. Not yet.

"You want a partner in crime? Forget Stefan. I'm so much more fun."

Klaus pretended to ponder for a second, before he tossed Damon across the bar. Damon landed on the table and broke it. Klaus broke off a piece of the chair.

"You won't be any fun after you're dead." He raised the stake. I took the sped forward and grabbed for the stake, but it lit on fire. Gloria. I pulled my hand away quickly. Klaus tossed it behind him and stood up.

"Lorena, darling. It's nice to see you again." He probably knew I had been there the whole time.

He ran his finger along my chin. I breathed heavily. Klaus smiled evilly. "You don"t have to negotiate your brother's freedom. When I'm done with him, he won't want to go back." He walked back to the bar.

I grabbed Damon's arm and made him stand up. "Let's go." I said angrily.

We walked back to the car. Elena was already sitting in the front seat. Damon got into the driver's seat and I got in the back. I sighed heavily and looked out the window. That was it. We failed.

"You ok?" Damon asked Elena.

Elena had tears in her eyes. I patted Damon's shoulder.

"Just drive, Damon."

Elena gave me a thankful glance and I nodded.

Maybe I didn't like her, but we were all in a sad mood right now. We failed. She wasn't the only one who just wanted to get home.


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 2- _Disturbing Behaviour, The Reckoning, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Ghost World, Ordinary People, & Homecoming._

* * *

><p>Chapter 17: Italy.<p>

"Damon."

"You're finally up." He laughed and stood from the couch. When he turned around and saw my face, he stopped smiling. "What's wrong?"

"I've been thinking and..." I sighed. "I need a vacation. I need to get away from Mystic Falls for a little while. Being here...it's killing me." I tried not to cry.

"What?" Damon walked over to me. "You're leaving?"

I gestured to the door. I had a suitcase packed and ready to go. "Already packed."

He put his hand on my shoulder. "For how long?"

"For as long as I need. Or for as long as it takes for you to need me for something." I smiled.

Damon's sad look changed to a smile. "Well then, where are you going?"

"Some place in Europe." I said. "Maybe Italy."

I loved Italy. The fact that our family has Italian roots, made Italy feel like a home away from home. Throughout my 155 years, I spent most of my time there.

I sighed and hugged Damon. "Call me if you need anything."

"I will." He whispered.

"I'm serious, Damon." I pulled away. "Even if you don't need me, call me and update me on what happens."

"I will." He kissed my forehead.

I walked away and grabbed my bag. I got into my car and went to the airport. I would miss Damon, but I needed this. This would be good for me.

* * *

><p>Italy was so beautiful. I loved it there. I was in Venice. The restaurants, the museums, the people, and the beaches. They were so beautiful and it made me realize how much I missed it.<p>

I was keeping myself busy. Eating out, dancing, seeing movies, seeing concerts, exploring art, flirting with boys, and feeding on people. I was having the best time of my life.

I felt a little guilty for leaving so much behind in Mystic Falls. But it was nice to forget for a little while.

Damon called and told me what was happening. Alaric being angry with him, Katherine taking him on a road trip, Jeremy being able to see dead people, Mikael the vampire hunter who is also vampire, and Rebekah Mikaelson. Another Mikaelson I knew in 1871. Out of Elijah and Klaus, Rebekah was the one I trusted and liked the most. We were very good friends, but I didn't know her now. I wasn't willing to risk it. Damon continued to tell me about Klaus and Stefan coming to Mystic Falls...

_"What?" I screamed into the phone. I started grabbing my clothes and frantically started packing. "I'm coming back. I'm-"_

_"Don't bother, Lorena." He stopped me._

_"Why?" I kept packing. "What-"_

_"He turned it off."_

_I stopped packing. I swallowed the lump in my throat. "What?"_

_"He turned it off, Lorena. He turned off his emotions."_

_I sat down on the bed. "I don't-" I stopped. Stefan wouldn't do that. Who would ever make Stefan do that? "Klaus." I growled. _

_I threw my phone at the wall. I flipped over my suitcase, broke the table, and smashed the lamps. I grabbed my head and got down on my knees. Tears were falling down my face. After everything we went through for him, he's gone. He's gone and he's never going to come back. Stefan was gone._

He had also told me about Elena's blood being the solution to Klaus's hybrid problem, Tyler turning into a hybrid, Stefan being Elena's protector to make sure nothing bad happened to her, Alaric teaching Elena how to protect herself, Stefan being his irresponsible ripper self, Rebekah moving in, Katherine finding Mikael, Elena's plan to lock Stefan up, Elena's plan almost working, Tyler being sired, ghosts being able to interact with people, the other side...

_I hung up the phone. Mason Lockwood might've killed him. Thankfully, he just wanted to help Tyler._

_ If Damon wasn't such an asshole, he wouldn't have people that hated him._

_I threw my phone on the bed._

_"Hello, Lorena."_

_I whipped around. No one was there, but it sounded like..._

_"Over here, Lorena." I turned the other way. Oh my god. Was that- "How are you doing, my love?"_

_"Nicholas." _

_He looked like he did when he died. He was so handsome. The man I used loved was standing before me._

_The other side. Ghosts could interact with people. What was he planning to do?_

_"Come here, my love." He held out his hand._

_ I took it hesitantly. I haven't felt him for so long. He pulled me into his chest and e leaned down. His lips grazed mine. I breathed heavily. His lips kissed mine and I kissed back. I missed him. I used to love him. But that was just it. I used to love him; I didn't love him. I pushed him away._

_"Don't-" I wiped my mouth. "Don't do that."_

_He grabbed my wrist. "Please, Lorena. I love you."_

_I felt tears prick my eyes. "I don't, Nicholas. I don't love you anymore." I took my hands away from him. "When you died...I missed you. I missed you so much, and I loved you. Even after you turned me without my consent, I loved you. And now I'm over it."_

_His eyes flashed in rage. "You cannot say that to me."_

_"I can say anything I want."_

_He grabbed me by neck and held me against the wall. "Tell me you love me."_

_"Go to hell." I spat, being reminded of all the times that he hurt me when I was human._

_He laughed humourlessly. "Already there, my love."_

_He sat me down at the chair in the hotel room. He told me to stay there and I did. He picked up a pen holder that held lots of freshly sharpened pencils. He walked over to me. He smiled brightly and then drove a pencil into my wrist and through the chair arm._

_"Ah!" I screamed out in pain._

_Pencil after pencil until both of my arms were pinned down to the chair._

_"I will not stop-" He leaned down to my face. I jerked away and he grabbed my chin to make me face him. "Until you tell me you love me."_

_"Why?" I cried out. "Why do you need me to say it? We will never be with each other again, Nicholas. You have to let me go."_

_He cupped my face in his hands. "I cannot stop, my love. I need to hear you say it." Tears started falling down my face. "I am alone on the other side. I watch you live and watch you be happy or sad or any emotion. I watch you with other people-other men. I am all alone and I need to hear you say it."_

_I didn't jerk my face away. I let him kiss me. When he pulled away, I spoke._

_"I loved you and I'm sorry that I can't love you again. At least not in the way you want."_

_He leaned in and kissed me again. Then he was gone. That was it. Bonnie must've done the spell._

_I sat there for a long time, before I willed myself to slowly peel my arms off the chair. I was so tired that I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the mattress._

After that, Damon continued to tell me about, Elena trying to get Stefan's humanity back, the discovery of drawings on the cave walls in the tunnel underneath the Lockwood property, Mikael the vampire vampire hunter being Klaus's father, decoding the drawings, the story of the original family, Mikael being alive and in Mystic Falls, Stefan's kind of-sort of breakthrough, Katherine and his plan, Rebekah being daggered, the plan almost succeeding but not quite, and Stefan getting his freedom...

_"That's it." I zipped up my suitcase. "I'm coming home."_

"You_ don't-"_

_"I have to, Damon." I sat down on the bed._

_I heard Damon sigh on the other line. "But his-"_

_"I don't care." I hung up and grabbed my suitcase. I was on my way to the airport._

I smiled as I looked at the house. It missed being home.


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 3- _The New Deal_

* * *

><p>Chapter 18: Coffins.<p>

I was lounging around the Mystic Grill with Damon and Elena.

It had been a week, maybe two, since I'd come back home. No sign of Klaus. More importantly, no sign of Stefan.

I was by the bar getting Damon another drink, while they flirted by the darts.

"Hello there, miss."

I turned to see a young man. He was handsome too. Tall, light hair, and bright eyes.

"Hello." I smiled.

"My names Tony."

When he saw me look him up and down, he knew I wasn't going to tell him my name.

"Can I get you a drink?" He tried again.

"Well, actually I-" I turned back to point at Damon, but stopped at what I saw. Klaus was standing with them. They looked like they were done talking. Klaus looked over to me and gestured to Tony. Tony followed him out.

I walked over to Damon and Elena.

"Hey, does someone want to explain to me what just happened?"

Damon continued throwing darts at the board as he spoke. "He said Stefan took something of his and he's looking for him." He threw the dart. Not quite. "And he's thinking of settling down in good ol' Mystic Falls."

I sighed deeply.

Whatever Stefan was up to was going to get him killed. I wish we knew something, anything. But we don't. We are sitting and waiting for anyone to say anything.

"This is bad."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Did you get my drink?"

I grabbed Damon's arm. "Let's go home, Damon. You should go home too, Elena."

Elena looked at Damon for a quick second before taking off. I walked Damon out of the bar.

Damon had really been in a sour mood lately. Day drinking and moping around the house. It was because of Stefan, I knew it. And the Klaus ordeal. Being so close to killing him and then not being able too. That must've sucked for him. Now Klaus was back, claiming that Stefan had something of his. This was going to get messy.

* * *

><p>I flipped the page of my book. It nearly fell out of my hands when I heard Klaus downstairs.<p>

"I think it's about time we had a drink, don't you?"

I heard clinking of glasses and Damon's attitude arising. "I'd say we're overdue."

I listened to them talk. Snarky comments, pretend niceness and imminent threats. Klaus threatened Damon to find Stefan with hurting someone. Whoever it was, was probably dead by now.

A little later than that, Damon got a call from Elena. She told him about Jeremy being compelled to almost get hit by a car and Alaric jumping in the way to save the day. Thankfully, Alaric had his ring on.

I sighed and flipped another page in my book. Another day, another almost dead. Same old, same old.

* * *

><p>The leaves crunched under our feet as we walked up to the house.<p>

"Bonnie said this place lost all it's mojo." Damon said.

I rolled my eyes.

That damn house. We were back at the abandoned, run down, white witchy house. This time to look for Stefan. Bonnie said he was here, keeping the coffins of Klaus's family hidden.

Elena sighed. "The dead witches were angry at her for bringing Jeremy back to life. I guess now they have something they want her to know."

Damon's face sorted into a insulted look. "That's why I hate witches. So fickle, passive aggressive."

I laughed. "Be careful what you say, Damon."

We approached the house and walked inside.

"Stefan!" Elena called out.

"C'mon, Stef. Olly olly oxen free."

We all continued forward. As soon as Damon and I stepped into the light, I felt my skin burn.

Not again.

We both rushed into shaded corners.

"Really? Still?" Damon complained.

"What?" Elena asked confusedly.

"The witchy spirits aren't a big fan," Damon looked around. "And they use their juju to screw with our daylight rings."

"Then wait outside." Elena offered.

"Elena-"

"I'm not leaving until I know if he's here." She said strongly and walked past both of us.

I sighed held my breath. I ran as fast as I could outside. Damon quickly followed.

* * *

><p>My eyes widened in shock.<p>

I was listening in on the conversation. Stefan wouldn't even budge. He knew that Klaus was going to kill Jeremy, the brother of the girl he loved, and he still wouldn't give anything up. I heard a slap too and I smiled. Stefan deserved that one.

Elena came rushing out in a fit.

"That didn't go over well."

"Damon." I warned.

Elena kept walking past us, but Damon didn't move.

"Let us talk to him." Damon started walking forward.

"You can't get in." Elena yelled. "The witches won't let you."

Damon walked toward her and put his keys in her hands. "Here. Take my car keys. You go deal with your brother." He turned and looked at me. "We'll deal with ours."

Damon walked back over toward me and nudged my arm. We both walked back into the house. We stopped just before the light started.

I sighed. "I'm ready when you're ready."

Damon nodded in my direction and sped off. I followed in his spots behind him. It burned like hell. But it was worth it when we got to the basement. Both of us stumbled down the steps and onto the ground. Not the greatest entrance.

"Wow."

I looked up to see Stefan, sitting in a chair looking cocky. I wiped myself off as Damon and I leaned up on our knees.

"I'm impressed. But the coffins aren't here, so you can go away now."

"I don't care about the coffins." Damon groaned. "We need to talk."

We both tried to stand up and we were burned again by sunlight. I ducked onto my knees again and Damon moved back against the wall.

"Ok." Stefan came closer to us. "Let's talk."

Damon grabbed my arm and pulled me up and out of the sunlight.

"Nothing's ever easy with you, is it?"

Damon sped forward and grabbed Stefan. They both sped out of the room. I reacted immediately by running after them. Stefan was holding Damon in the sunlight. I rushed forward, but I was too late because they were gone again. I could hear them outside. When I came out, Stefan was on the ground and Damon in a protective stance. I ran forward and broke a branch off a tree. I tossed it to Damon, who drove it into Stefan's stomach.

"That is for screwing up my plan." Damon started venomously. "You stopped me from killing Klaus, and you steal his family. Why? It doesn't make sense. Answer me!"

"Damon." I said. He didn't even give Stefan a chance to answer.

Stefan writhed in pain. "Piece by piece, Klaus took everything from me. I'm doing the same to him."

"But I had him Stefan!" He pulled the stick upward inside of Stefan.

"Damon." I took a step forward.

"Why'd you screw it up?"

"I did it so save you."

That was enough for me to speed over and yank Damon off of Stefan. I knelt down and pulled the branch out of him.

"What?" Damon yelled from the ground. "No. No way. You didn't do this for me." Damon crawled closer. They both panted and puffed.

"He was one step ahead of us. If Klaus died, his hybrids would have killed you."

I smiled at Stefan's sentence. Damon wasn't as impressed as I was.

"When are you going to get it through your head?" He stabbed him again. "Stop saving me."

Damon stoop up and walked away. I glared into his back. Was he not the least bit thankful?

I leaned down the Stefan. "It's good to see you again, big brother." I gripped the stick and pulled it out for the second time. I threw the stick in the distance and ran after Damon.

"You're an asshole. Have I told you that before?"

Damon smirked. "Thank you."

We stopped and rested against the tree's. We waited for Stefan to regenerate to start up another conversation. It was nighttime by then. Damon and I walked back to the house.

"You know what I can't figure out?" Damon said when we spotted Stefan again, leaning up against the house. "Why save me? Was it brotherly love, guilty conscience, is the switch on, is the switch off?"

"Do you have somewhere you guys need to be?" Stefan asked.

"Nope." I walked closer.

Stefan pushed himself off the wall. "We're done here. Can't you just go away?"

"Not until you tell me why you saved me. You owe me that."

Stefan came closer. "I don't owe you anything."

The stared for a moment more before Damon spoke up. "Fine. Next question, why'd you steal the coffins?"

"Because Klaus's family is one weakness I can use against him."

I spoke out of curiosity. I almost forgot we were interrogating him. "Use against him to do what?"

Damon scoffed. "You're not going to kill him. You know how I know this? Because there was only one way to kill him, and you blew that to save me."

Stefan was getting closer. "You're wrong. Klaus doesn't get to just live forever. There's another way. There has to be."

"Fair enough." Damon looked to me for confirmation. I nodded my head.

"Whatever you're doing, we want in."

Stefan looked at me like I was crazy. "I don't need your help." He walked away.

"Really?" Damon scoffed. "Last time I checked, you were hiding out in a haunted house."

Stefan turned around. "I'm in this alone."

"You go after Klaus, you're going to have to be cutthroat and devious. I'm so much better at that than you."

I smirked. It was Damon's speciality. Stefan looked like was considering. Damon and I stepped forward.

"C'mon, big brother. If you're going to keep saving our lives, at least make it for a good reason." I convinced him.

He looked between the two of us. "You want in?"

"Ya."

"Ya."

Stefan nodded slightly. "Ok. But it's just us. Elena stays out of it."

"Deal."

"Follow me."

We all walked inside the house and into an empty room.

"Have a look." Stefan said.

"I'm looking. I don't see anything." I shrugged. I looked at Stefan.

Stefan smiled. "Look again."

I looked back. Suddenly there were four coffins in front of me.

"Witch spirits hate Klaus as much as we do. They're using their powers to hide the coffins."

Damon looked like he was enjoying this. "So if he comes in the house..."

"He won't be able to find them."

The three of us looked at each other with smiles on our faces. Looks like we had the upper hand for once.

* * *

><p>Damon came walking in with a weird look on his face.<p>

After Stefan let us see the coffins, Damon went to Elena's and I went home. I was sitting on the couch, waiting for him when he came home.

"What's up with you?"

"I had to compel Jeremy to leave. Elena doesn't want him around all of-" He tried to find the words, but ended with a strangled sigh.

"That's not it." I stood up from the couch.

Damon walked up the stairs and I followed him. He was about to close the door before I stopped it with my foot. I pushed it open a little ways.

I knew exactly what was going on with Damon. It became more and more evident everyday. The longer Stefan was gone, the closer he got to Elena. But now Stefan was back and he (seemingly) cared again.

"Damon, you don't have to feel guilty for loving someone."

"Thanks." He mumbled and shut the door in my face.

Well, I tried. It seemed every time I did, I got shut out. I went to bed in a bad mood and woke up in an even worse one.


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 3- _Our Town._

* * *

><p>Chapter 19: Saved by the Devil.<p>

I wasn't in the greatest mood. What made it worse is that Damon's day couldn't have been better. He must've been over feeling guilty because he was bouncing around all morning. It was annoying.

I heard Stefan arrive and I rushed downstairs. I was ready to go.

"Morning, brother."

He nodded. "Little sister. Where's Damon?"

I rolled my eyes. "Upstairs still."

Stefan started upstairs and I called after him.

"Careful! He's extra annoying today."

* * *

><p>We were almost to the house.<p>

"You didn't say anything to Elena about the coffins, right?" Stefan asked. The question was pointed to Damon.

"No. I said I wouldn't."

"I know what you said."

Damon seemed offended. "Then why are you asking?"

"Because protecting the location of Klaus's family is my number one priority right now and the less people that know, the better."

Damon stopped and grabbed Stefan's coat.

I groaned. "Can we not do this right now?"

All of our hears toward the house. Something wasn't right. Stefan signaled us where to go. I went right to the basement, to see if Bonnie was ok. When I got there, she looked fine. I put a finger to my lips to remind her to be quiet. Then I heard something bang on the porch. A dead hybrid, I presumed.

After everything, Bonnie left for school. Then we all started working on a way to open one of the coffins. The most important coffin.

* * *

><p>I watched Damon whack at it with a shovel. Nothing was working.<p>

"You're wasting your time." Stefan informed him, as if it wasn't obvious.

Damon tossed the shovel aside. "It won't open."

"Did you bury to body?"

"Yeah. Any sign of our little hybrid buddies?"

"Nope, just the dead one."

I looked around at the coffins. "Ok. Klaus has six siblings. Rebekah is now with Klaus. There was one dead one in the old world, one dead one in the new world."

Damon jumped in. "Which leaves Elijah and two others, three sleeping originals, four coffins. So, who is in the lockbox?"

I should know more about Klaus. I knew him before my brothers ever did. Which we never actually discussed. Stefan was the only one who knew that I knew him so long ago, and he never asked me questions about it. I guess he was a little pre-occupied with being Klaus's sidekick at that point.

"No idea." Stefan said. "But whatever's in here, Bonnie seems to think it'll help us kills Klaus. So, as soon as she can get this thing open, the sooner we'll know she's right."

We all rubbed out hands along the coffin. It gave me a weird feeling.

"You'd think the spirits of a bunch of dead witches that can make a coffin invisible, that they'd figure out how to open one!"

I smacked Damon's shoulder. "Don't be like that, Damon."

Stefan walked away from the coffin. "You know, none of this is going to do us any good if Klaus's hybrid friends find our hiding spot, right? They need to go away."

"That's a great idea, Stefan. Why don't you ask him to just pack a bag and take a long vacation while you're at it." Damon walked to Stefan. "How about you keep the peace? Don't draw attention to the very thing that we're trying to hide."

And the arguing begins.

"I'm not going to play defence when I have what Klaus wants. He does what I say or I dump his family to the bottom of the ocean."

"Then he kills you and everyone you know, like I don't know, Lorena." He pointed to me. Stefan shook his head.

"No, he's bluffing. His family means more to him than anything else."

"You sure about that?"

"Oh, I don't know, Damon. I mean I guess there's only one way to find out, right?" Stefan started to walk out. "Call his bluff."

Was Stefan crazy? I was about to protest, but Damon did it for me.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. The only way to call someone's bluff, Stefan, is to be willing to lose everything if you're wrong."

Stefan looked at the two of us and continued upstairs. After standing in shock for two minutes, Damon grabbed my arm.

"Let's go."

I obeyed immediately. The sooner in a safer place, the better.

* * *

><p>I was at the Mystic Grill, drinking it up. Stefan was god knows where and Damon was at the founders meeting. He just called me and told me that apparently Klaus will back off if we can control Stefan. Klaus even made a deal with Mrs. Lockwood to seal it all. It was just getting worse and worse as time went on.<p>

Suddenly Tyler Lockwood burst in and sat down at the bar.

"Uh oh." I laughed. "Someone's having a bad day."

He glared at me with more rage and fury I'd ever seen if a person. Damon once told me that Tyler had serious anger problems. Now that's he's a hybrid...

"Don't talk to me."

"What'd you do this time, Tyler?" I egged him on. Being drunk was making me brave and quite stupid.

"I said." He moved close to me. "Don't talk to me."

"What'd you do?"

"I bit Caroline."

I leaned back in my chair. "Shit." I giggled. "That sucks for you."

He wasn't laughing. He seemed to be getting angrier and angrier. I kept going.

"How does it feel?"

Tyler got up and started walking out of the Mystic Grill. I followed him.

"How does it feel?" I asked him again.

"What?" He whipped around.

"How does it feel to be Klaus's little bitch?"

Ok. So, I was drunk. I didn't like Tyler to begin with and suddenly, now I hated Tyler even more. After all he was the ultimate reason Damon got bit and the ultimate reason Stefan got sent away. I knew my mind was fuzzy but I was sure that he was making my life miserable for no reason.

"How does it feel to hurt everyone around you because of your sire bond? You know-" I stumbled on the steps. "Everyone is either going to hate you or leave you or kill you. I doubt anyone even cares about you anymore."

I could see flames in his eyes. Still, I kept going. I hit him with a lower blow.

"And Caroline." I sighed. "Well, that's gone down the tube, hasn't-"

I pushed me up against the wall with yellow eyes. He was furious. I was weak with all the alcohol in my system. It was hard to fight him off. I _still_ kept going.

"Caroline probably hates you as much as I do-"

I gasped. He bit me. He bit my arm. I was fighting him off and he bit my arm. Oh my god. I looked up from my arm to see no Tyler in sight. It was so small, but it hurt worse than anything.

I needed to get home. That's what I needed. I stumbled as I walked. Not because I was drunk, but because I was suddenly tired. I became sweaty and tired. I could also feel myself growing weaker.

Eventually I couldn't walk anymore. I made it to the town square. I pulled out my phone and dialed Damon's number. Nothing. Stefan's number. Nothing. For gods sake, I even called Elena's number. None of them answered. I could call Klaus, but I wouldn't. I couldn't call him. Without even thinking, I picked up my phone and dialed Klaus's number.

_"Lorena, sweetheart."_

"Klaus. I need-I need you-your help." I breathed out.

_"You sound like you're in trouble."_

"I'm dying in the town square. I was bit."

_"That's a shame, sweetheart. Listen, I've got to go."_

"No!" I yelled, then rubbed my throat. "Please, Klaus." I was disgusted with myself. I was begging Klaus to save me. I was pathetic.

_"Why would I save you, Lorena? Hm?"_

"Klaus, please." I was desperate, and I said something stupid next. "You owe me." I wanted to smack myself. 'You owe me'? Now we was definitely not going to save me.

_"Do I now?"_

"1871. Nicholas. Remember him?"

_"Of course I do."_

"So?" I said hopefully.

_"You're not my problem, sweetheart."_ He hung up the phone.

I let the phone fall on the floor. I reached for it, but I could barely move. One tiny movement of my hand and I was exhausted. I could feel myself dying. I could feel my insides starting to rot. It was worse than anything I had ever imagined.

* * *

><p>"Wake up, Lorena."<p>

Klaus. I opened my eyes. There he was kneeling in front of me.

"Klaus." I smiled. I was delirious. "You came."

_"Of course, sweetheart."_

_I smiled widely. Nicholas was away on Klaus's duties. While he was away, he asked me to ask Klaus to be his man of honour. Elijah looked best in a formal wear, but Klaus would be angry had we not asked him. _

_"When is the ceremony?" Rebekah asked me in excitement._

_"On the 8th of July." I smiled._

_She sighed happily. "A July wedding."_

_Rebekah was my best friend. I felt bad for her since Nicholas proposed to be wed to me. Rebekah did not have a lover and she was very invested in Nicholas and I's love. Rebekah was a hopeless romantic. How tragic._

_I stood up. "Rebekah, will you accompany me to pick the flowers for the ceremony?"_

_Rebekah stood. "I would be delighted." She nodded to Klaus and we were off the pick the flowers. _

_I stopped walking to look back at Klaus. He sat all alone. All the Mikaelson's, Elijah, Klaus, and Rebekah seemed to be alone most of the time. It was very sad, really._

_"Lorena?" Rebekah called for my attention and nudged my shoulder._

"Lorena?" Klaus shook my shoulder.

"Klaus." I said surprisingly.

He slipped in behind me and I leaned my whole body on him. "This is the second time tonight, Lorena. What would this town do without me?"

"I don't know." I said groggily.

I heard a crunch and break of skin. Then his bloody wrist was in front of me. I latched my mouth on as soon as I could. As I drank, Klaus talked.

"My siblings would be very angry with me if she found out I did not save you."

I pulled away. I felt rejuvenated. I felt my inside heal themselves. I felt stronger and cleaner. I stood up and turned to Klaus. "Thank you, Klaus."

He stood and stroked my cheek. "Consider this my apology for the death of your lover so many years ago."

I tried to smile. "I'm over it."

"But do not think that I will do this again, Lorena."

"I know."

Klaus smirked and ran his hand along my jawline before speeding off.


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 3- _Our Town & The Ties That Bind._

* * *

><p>Chapter 20: The Mikaelson's.<p>

I walked into the house. Damon was on the couch.

"Where were you?" He asked.

I grabbed a vase from a shelf. I walked behind him and cracked the vase over his head.

"Ouch." He said unenthusiastically. "What was that for?"

"Where were you, Damon?" I yelled. "Huh? Where were you when I was dying?"

He got off the couch slowly and turned around. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Ya, Damon." I threw my hands around dramatically. "I was bit and I called you multiple times."

"You were bit?" He walked to me. "Why didn't you tell me? By who? How long ago?" He reached out for me. I pulled away and walked upstairs.

"Don't worry yourself, Damon." I said sarcastically. "Klaus gave me his blood."

Damon followed me upstairs, looking sceptical. "Why would he do that?"

I shrugged dishonestly. "I don't know."

"You're lying." He stood in front of me to stop me from going to my bedroom. I sighed.

"Maybe because he knew if I died because of one of his hybrids, Stefan would drop a family member in the ocean." I surprised myself with that lie. It was good. Damon seemed convinced.

"Fine. I'll take it."

I went to walk away. I was tugged backward into Damon's embrace.

"Damon." I struggled to get out of it.

"You almost died tonight without me knowing. Can you let me hug you?"

I relaxed into his arms and hugged him back. I let him have his moment before he explained what happened. Stefan almost driving Elena off the bridge to get Klaus to agree to send his hybrids away for snooping. Quite the night it was. And I was ready for bed.

* * *

><p>Damon grabbed a pancake off my plate.<p>

"Hey!" I barked with a mouthful. "Get your own pancakes."

"There is a dead guy in the woods."

"Cool." I mumbled.

"Let me rephrase. A dead human."

I stopped eating. "What?"

"A stake driven through his heart. But he wasn't a vampire."

"Huh. Weird." I continued eating my food.

"Ya, weird." Damon leaned on the counter. "Also, I'm going on a road trip."

"Are you now?"

"Bonnie is having dreams about her mother and the coffin. They're connected somehow, so we have to find her."

I stood up and put my dishes in the sink. "Have fun."

He looked at me in surprise. "You don't want to come along?"

"I'll pass."

I'll admit that I was still a little pissed off about Damon and Stefan worrying so much about Elena. So much that they couldn't even answer my calls. I was dying. What if Klaus hadn't healed me? I would've been dead by now, and the only thing they would be worrying about was Elena. Elena, Elena, Elena. It was a wonder I hadn't just killed her already.

* * *

><p>Damon texted me about a half-hour after breakfast and told me he was shut out of the road trip action and that he was going to the bar. I knew where Damon was, but I hadn't heard from Stefan since yesterday. I had no idea where he was.<p>

Then, like it was the most normal thing in the world, Klaus came into my house and sat down on the couch. He turned on the music and laid there. I closed my book slowly.

"Klaus..."

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Waiting for Stefan." He smirked. "Have you seen him?"

"Nope." I got up and walked upstairs.

I did not want to be near him. Not after last night. I was so scared of Klaus. Every since I met him, Elijah and Rebekah, my life had changed. I knew they were vampires, but not originals. I didn't figure that out until way later on Rebekah told me. She liked to show off that she could compel other vampires. I suspected Klaus compelled Nicholas to be a loyal friend to him, because it happened too quick. Klaus and Nicholas were always off doing something bad. That left me with Rebekah and we formed a sort of bond. Since Katherine was gone, Rebekah took on the role of a sister to me. Neither of us had one before and we were delighted to be each others friends. Neither of us had a lot of those either. Elijah was clearly the nicest of the group or at least the easiest to understand. He was the one to offer advice to me in my times of need. Now he was locked in a coffin and I felt guilty about it. Rebekah must've still been daggered. There was no way she couldn't be or Elena would be dead. And Klaus was alive and free. It was crazy to think I was friends with them once.

_I laughed and laughed. __"Rebekah!"_

_We were at a party and Rebekah was poking fun at anyone who walked past. I tried to hide my laughter at the things she said._

_"What?" She smiled. "It is the truth."_

_She had said that Mrs. Relander was the biggest strumpet in town. Mrs. Relander was a lonely old lady who pinched the cheeks of young men. She was anything but a strumpet. I found it funny to make such a ridiculous accusation._

_Our laughter stopped when another man asked Rebekah for a dance, to which she refused. _

_"Why do you always refuse to dance?" I asked._

_"I wish not to dance."_

_"They will not stop." I said. "You are the most beautiful woman in the room, Rebekah."_

_"Exactly." She smiled and I laughed. Rebekah was really something._

_..._

_"Ow." I looked down at my scraped arms. I had fell in the forest whilst playing with Nicholas. He won of course, and then he was off with Klaus again._

_"Do you need help, Lorena?"_

_I sighed. "No thank you, Elijah. I am fine." I stood _

_"You are bleeding." I felt him gently touch my arm. I jerked away. I knew my mistake when I made it._

_"I am sorry, Elijah."_

_He smiled kindly. "That is alright, Lorena. I just wish to patch you up."_

_"That would be great. Thank you."_

_Elijah led me back to my their house. Their house was almost my house. I spent so much time there with Nicholas, and if I wasn't there with Nicholas to visit Klaus, I was there with Rebekah. The home was very familiar to me._

_Once I was patched, Elijah told me to be more careful. I told him I would try and then I left. Elijah was one of the kindest men I'd ever met and of all the Mikaelson's, it was him I was scared of the least._

_..._

_"Where is Nicholas?"_

_"He is out in the forest. He was hungry." I told Klaus._

_"Well, when he comes home, tell him that we must leave."_

_I stopped setting the table. "Must you always steal him from me?" I said jokingly. _

_"I am sorry, Lorena." He said with no remorse._

_I smiled. "Return soon."_

_I enjoyed Klaus's company; Not as much as Nicholas's though. I liked Klaus because Nicholas liked him, no more, no less._

_"No promises, sweetheart."_

That was such a long time ago. Only I knew about it. Stefan knew about me knowing Klaus, but he didn't know why or how. Damon was completely in the dark and I planned to keep it that way until I needed to tell him or until the guilt ate me up.

My ears focused in on what was happening downstairs when I heard Stefan come home. Stefan asked Klaus what he was doing at our house. Klaus said he was wondering what he had to do to get his family back. Stefan said he wasn't negotiating.

"I'm going to give you another chance. Just one more. Let's make a reasonable deal."

"Or what?" I heard Stefan say. "You make one move and I will-"

Klaus laughed loudly. "Yes, that's right. Crazy Stefan. How's that working out for you? Any friends left?"

Eventually Klaus left, and then Stefan left. I was alone again.

* * *

><p>I picked up my phone. "Hello?"<p>

It was Damon and he was telling me to meet him at the witch house, where the coffins were hidden. He gave me no explanation. He just told me to meet him there. I got in my car and drove their right away. When I got there, it was dark, but nothing out of the ordinary. When I walked inside, that's when I noticed. Damon was downstairs. I could hear him.

I walked downstairs. Damon was standing in the middle of the room. It was dark, with the exception of a few candles. I walked over to Damon and was about to ask him what was going on, when Klaus stepped out from the shadows.

"What took you so long? Hiding behind your witchy friends. And in squalor, no less."

Suddenly, Klaus fell down and screamed. I guess the witches didn't like his comment. I saw Damon smirk out of the corner of my eye.

"Insulting a bunch of dead witches? Not smart." He continued to smirk. "I made the exact same mistake the first time I came in here."

Klaus kneeled on the ground. "Well, you know the funny thing about witches is that living or dead, they care about their own." He grunted in pain. "A hundred dead witches have a thousand living descendants-" More screaming. "And I have no problem killing every last one of them! If I don't get my coffins back, as we speak, my hybrid friend is prepared to end the the Bennet line." He grunted again before the candle went out and the whispering stopped. Klaus smiled evilly. "Now. Please-" He looked around, as if to talk to the witches. "Show the coffins."

And just like that, I watched the coffins appear. It was over. It was all over.

Klaus looked at them with satisfaction. "Here we are." Then he stopped. "Where's the forth?"

That's when I noticed that one was missing. The forth one, the locked one, the most important one.

Damon and I smiled. Klaus did not.

"Show me!" He yelled at the witches.

Damon started walking around. "Well, uh, here's the thing. They can't. It's not here."

I smiled. I didn't know what was going on or where it was, but seeing us winning brought me great pleasure.

Klaus walked to Damon. "What did you do?" He said calmly.

"Well, Bonnie gave me the heads up. I mean, I didn't have time to get all four, but I did have time to get one." Damon smiled. He was loving this.

Klaus shook his head. "I will tear you limb from limb. And only then, when you are a writhing mass of blood and flesh, will I rip your heart from my chest."

My breath quickened slightly, but Damon seemed unamused.

"Sorry. Same rules apply. You know, leverage and all. I know you want your family back. But something tells me that you want what's in that coffin a lot more." Damon smirked and walked past Klaus. He grabbed my arm and took me home.

* * *

><p>We were sitting on opposite couches. We hadn't said anything yet.<p>

"Why-" I tried to formulate a question. "Why did you-why is it that-and how-"

"I know." He smirked. "I'm pretty awesome."

I leaned back into the couch and shook my head. "We finally have something on him. Let's not screw things up, Damon."

The door opened. It was Stefan and he seemed different. He didn't look cocky and arrogant. He looked like Stefan.

"Oh, you're still alive? I assume that means Klaus didn't get his coffins."

Ok, then maybe I was wrong.

"Well, don't look so happy. I was only able to get one of them out in time." Damon stood up and walked over to Stefan. "The locked one.

I stood up too, feeling left out, as I always did.

"Probably a good choice." Stefan said.

"You know, if you're banking on Bonnie's momma to open it, you're screwed. She doesn't have any powers."

Stefan didn't seem surprised. "Ah, well, doesn't surprise me. It's been that kind of night." Stefan turned away from us.

"Are you ok?"

"Is Elena ok?"

Damon and I asked at the same time. Stefan surprised both of us when he turned around and punched Damon in the face. My eyes widened and I placed my hand on Damon's back. Damon groaned and put a hand to his cheek.

"I take it you two had a heart to heart." Damon brushed me off and stood up. "And I take it you don't want to talk about it. Noted. So, why don't we talk about this?" Damon reached into his back pocket and pulled out a dagger. Stefan looked at it with uncertain eyes.

"What did you do?"

"You pulled the dagger out of Elijah, didn't you?" I asked him.

Damon nodded cockily. Stefan and I shook our heads. Stefan left the room. I grabbed Damon's head of hair and yanked it back.

"Ow!" He yelled. I knew it didn't really hurt him, but I secretly hoped it would've. Damon was being an idiot. Kissing girls that weren't his and un-daggering originals.

"Remember when I said you weren't stupid?" I yelled. "Yeah, I take it back." I ran upstairs and to my room.

I should comfort Stefan, but I knew he would just shut me out.

I fell asleep with a jumbled mind. What was on tomorrows agenda?


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 3- _Bringing Out The Dead_

* * *

><p>Chapter 21: Family.<p>

Damon hung up the phone.

The human that was murdered was killed with one of Elena's stakes. They were trying to figure who it could possibly be, before Damon said he had to go.

I walked with light footsteps. I knew what we were about to do and who we were about to meet, and it was making me anxious.

"Elijah." Damon greeted.

He was so very handsome. His hair was cut shorter than it was it 1871 and he was wearing a suit. I almost laughed. If I had to picture Elijah in my mind before our meeting just now, he would be in a suit. It was just his style.

Elijah looked me in the eyes and I could see his mouth part. I shook my head to stop him, but it was too late.

"Lorena. It's nice to see you again."

Oh god.

"It's nice to see you too, Elijah."

I didn't look at Damon, but I could feel the waves of anger and confusion coming off of him. I tried to get away from the subject.

"Why are we here?"

Elijah reached inside his jacket pocket. "You left something inside my jacket pocket."

Damon and I took a couple steps forward.

"Oh, yeah." Damon said. "Dear Elijah, let's get together and plot the destruction of your brother. Xo, xo."

"Damon." Elijah said in a tone I couldn't identify.

"Was I right to un-dagger you or are we going to have a problem?"

Elijah answered straight away. "I'm here. Let's talk."

I jumped in. "Well, let's start with an easy question. Any idea what kind of Klaus killing weapon could be magically sealed in a mystery coffin?"

Elijah did that thing with his face to show he was surprised with out really looking surprised.

"Look," Damon started. "If we could sit down and talk with Klaus, we could come to an agreement." He said it in the way he said things when he didn't mean them.

Elijah looked like he knew and he nodded. "Dinner at Klaus's new renovation seems fit."

"Perfect."

* * *

><p>I slipped on the dress and rubbed the sides. It was very classy and mature. Not something I was used to with my constant wearing of skinny jeans and t-shirts.<p>

The dress was a maroon colour. It had a sweetheart neckline and short sleeves. The top was tight and hard looking, but the bottom flowed easily. The skirt stopped just above my knee. I wore strapped black heels. Damon said dress nice, and I was dressing nice.

Damon hadn't asked me anything about my relations to the Mikaelson's yet, but I knew it was coming.

The dinner was happening in an hour. Damon's plan was about to go in motion. If we could distract them for enough time to let Bonnie and her mother open the coffin, we would be doing great.

I walked into Stefan's bedroom as I buttoned my coat. "Hurry up, boys. We've got a dinner to get to."

* * *

><p>The door opened to Elijah.<p>

"Niklaus, our guests have arrived."

I heard Klaus's voice. "Lorena, Stefan, Damon. Elijah tells me you seek an audience. Very bold." He appeared. "Let's discuss the terms of our agreement like civilized people, shall we?" He gestured to the table.

A circle table in the middle of the room, with enough chairs for all of us. The house looked beautiful on the outside and even better on the inside.

Damon and I started walking to the table. Stefan didn't.

"I didn't come here to eat, Klaus. In fact I didn't want to come here at all." Stefan started walking down the steps. "But I was told I had to because you would here us out."

Klaus looked amused. He let out a little laugh. "Well, we can seat and eat, or I can reach down your throats and pull out your insides." A girl standing nearby pulled out a chair for him and he sat down. "The choice is yours."

I looked at Stefan. He looked like he was about to give in. He started walking to the seats and I tried to hide my smirk.

We all sat down and one of the girls started bringing the food in. Once the food was set on my plate, I grabbed my fork but stopped when I felt Klaus's eyes on me.

"You look lovely tonight, Lorena."

I looked at him strongly. "Thanks, Klaus."

Klaus smirked and looked at Stefan. "You lost your appetite."

Stefan was the only one who wasn't eating.

"Eat." Damon commanded. "I thought that we would leave the grumpy Stefan at home."

Stefan fake smiled and reluctantly picked up his fork.

"That's the spirit." Klaus encouraged. "Isn't this nice? The five of us dining together. Such a treat." Klaus looked at Damon. "Is this what you had in mind when you pulled the dagger out of my brother?"

"Well, I know how he felt about you, so I figured the more the merrier." Damon said.

"Well, Elijah and I have had our share of quarrels over the centuries, but we always make it through."

Stefan spoke bravely. "Kind of like you and Rebekah, right? Where is she, by the way?" He smirked. "Last I checked, she was still daggered because you were afraid to face her."

"If you're referring to the fact that Rebekah knows I killed our mother, I've already come clean to Elijah."

All eyes shifted to Elijah, who was sitting contently in his seat.

Damon created conversation."Hey, Stef, remember when you killed dad? Might want to dial down the judgement 'til dessert."

Stefan stopped eating. "We're here to make a deal, Damon. Doesn't mean we need to kiss his ass for seven courses."

"Stefan, Damon." I said hardly. "It's going to be long evening." I directed myself more toward Stefan. "Pace yourselves."

* * *

><p>It seemed to take forever to get to the point of the dinner. And somehow we still weren't quite there.<p>

"Stefan, where is the lovely Elena tonight?"

I wanted to kick Elijah under the table. I didn't of course, that would be foolish. But if this started a fight, I would be angry.

"I don't know. Ask Damon."

I shifted uncomfortably, Elijah looked confused and Klaus laughed.

"I'm sorry, you missed so much. Uh, trouble in paradise."

Stefan was done talking about it. "One more word about Elena, and this dinner is over."

Klaus smirked and put a finger to his lips to signify he wasn't going to talk about it. All the while, Damon was trying to close up that conversation.

"You know what, probably best to keep Elena in the 'do not discuss' pile."

I heard Klaus's fork and knife clatter on his plate. "It's just the allure of the Petrova doppelgänger is still so strong. What do you say, brother?" Klaus looked at Elijah. "Should we tell them about Tatia?"

Elijah laughed. "Now, why should we discuss matters long since resolved?"

"Well, given their shared affection for both Elena and Katerina, I think our guests might be curious to learn about the originator of the Petrova line." Klaus stared at me. I smiled.

"Well, we're not going anywhere. So please, do tell."

They both told us about Tatia, a girl they both loved so dearly. How there powerful witch mother wanted to end the feud between them for Tatia's love, so she took her. She fed them her blood that they drank on the night that their mother preformed the spell to turn them into vampires. How Tatia couldn't make up her mind and they were fighting. How in the end, they recognized the sacred bond of family.

My head hurt. I knew it wasn't like that for Damon and Stefan when it came to Katherine. I hoped when it came to Elena, they would realize what they were doing.

Elijah and Klaus cheered to family above all. Damon, Stefan and I looked at each other in a way we hadn't in so long.

Everyone was done eating and it was quiet as the girls took away our plates and cleaned the table. It was quiet until Elijah spoke up.

"So, why don't we move this evening along and discuss the terms of this proposal?"

"That's very simple." Damon stated. "Klaus gets his coffin back. In exchange, he and the extended original family leave Mystic Falls forever. Me, Lorena, Stefan, and Elena live happily ever after, no grudges."

"Deal sounds fair, brother." Elijah sounded , not so much.

"I don't think you understand. I can't do that because Elena's doppelgänger blood ensures that I will always have more hybrids to fight those that oppose me. I will never leave her behind. " Klaus stood up. "Lets say I do leave her here, under your protection. What then? How long before one of you turns her into a vampire? Or worse. How long before she dies, caught between your feuding? You see, each one of you truly believes that you're the one that can protect her. And that is simply a delusion. Gentlemen, the worse thing for Elena Gilbert...is the two of you."

Stefan was staring hardly at Klaus, and Damon was scrunching up his face.

"I'm going to go get some air." Damon said and left the table. I went to stand up, but Elijah motioned me down.

"Let me handle this."

Klaus laughed. "All this talk has made me thirsty." A blonde woman moved to him. "What do you say? Can I interest you two in a little after dinner drink?" His mouth attached to her neck. I looked away. Klaus pulled away seconds later. "Mmm. Delicious." He let her fall to the ground.

"Well," Stefan stood up. "I guess the only reason you agreed to this evening, Klaus, is to drive a wedge between me and my brother."

"Oh, no, you're doing that well enough on your own. Because of Elena, you're going to lose your brother, your sister, and you'll only have yourself to blame." He looked at me. "How is that going, by the way? Knowing that your brothers love Elena more than you?"

I stiffened. Thankfully, Damon walked in.

"What do you say, Klaus? It's time for you to put something on the table. We've made our offer. Now you counter."

I stood and walked over to Stefan and Damon. I stood between them. Klaus and Elijah were on the other side of the room, which seemed so much smaller now.

"Ok." Klaus sat down. "I offer Elena's future happiness. You see, what she needs right now is to be rid of you lot, and to fall in love with a human. Maybe that nice football player, you know, the blonde one."

Damon scoffed. "Matt Donovan? Really?"

Klaus smiled. "Yeah, why not? They'll marry, live and long and fruitful life, and pop out a perfect family."

"And continue a Petrova bloodline." Stefan added for Klaus. "Every few hundred years, you'll have a new doppelgänger to drain and never run out of hybrids. Isn't that right, Klaus?"

"Consider it a small return of my investment in her well-being. See, after you hand me back the coffin, I'll ensure her safety for the rest of her natural life. You know it's best for her. So," Klaus stood and walked closer to Stefan. "What do you say, Stefan? Do we have a deal?"

As Stefan walked around to Klaus, Damon mumbled to ask him what he was doing. Stefan wasn't going to agree to that deal...right?

Klaus had a wide closed-mouth smile on his face when Stefan's hand clamped onto his.

"Nice try, Klaus. But not deal."

Klaus stopped smiling. He grabbed Stefan's wrist and I heard a crack. He kicked the back of his leg, and another crack. Klaus reached out and grabbed Stefan's hand to put it in the fire in the fireplace. I gasped and tried to rush forward. Suddenly, Elijah's arm was in front of me and pushing me backward. He ran forward and grabbed Damon. I was the only one not in someone's hold. Knowing that Klaus would harm me more, I rushed to Elijah and pushed him away from Damon. Then I turned to Klaus.

"Stop!"

Klaus smiled at me. "Bring me my coffin before I burn him alive."

"I'll get it." Damon said.

"Go with him, brother." Klaus told Elijah. "You keep him honest. When you return, I will make good on my promise to you and I will hand over our family."

Elijah considered for a moment and then left after Damon.

"Lorena, sweetheart." He gestured to the chair. "Have a seat."

I sat and crossed my arms against my chest. I looked away from him in the hope that he wouldn't strike up a conversation. He didn't. Stefan did.

"Go ahead and kill me. I know you'll do it when he brings the coffin."

Klaus pulled him from the fire and Stefan stood straight again.

"You really have given up, haven't you?" Klaus pointed a finger in his face. "Where's the fight? Where's the ripper?"

Stefan pushed Klaus roughly. Elijah and Damon walked in.

"Elijah." Klaus sounded annoyed. "Why haven't you left yet?"

A blonde girl walked in with a tray.

"Where are your manners, brother? You forgot dessert." Elijah held his hands out and then gestured to the plate the girl was holding. The girl tore the cover of the tray and it revealed two daggers. Oh my god.

"What have you done?" Klaus tried not to lose it.

"What have _you_ done?" Elijah repeated. "See, I've learned not to trust your vulgar promises, Klaus. We're doing this on my terms now."

In walked a man. I felt knots turn in my stomach. Whether it was because he was so handsome or so devilish looking, I didn't know. He looked somewhat like Elijah, but younger. His hair was darker and his eyes were darker. Not just the brown colour, but the coldness in them. He walked with cockiness and suave. I felt like I knew him or maybe someone like him. I felt like I dated a million guys just like him.

"Kol."

For the first time in my entire life, I heard Klaus sound scared.

"Long time, brother." Kol said.

I shiver went up my spine at his voice. Everything about him gave me shivers. Good or bad? Probably bad.

Another man rushed in. He looked like he was daggered a long, long time ago. His hair was long and his clothes were ancient. But that was all I could see from the back of him. He was holding a dagger.

"Finn, don't." Klaus pleaded.

Finn grabbed Klaus's hand and drove the dagger through it. Klaus's scream echoed through the house. Klaus moved to escape and there blocking his exit, was Rebekah.

"Rebekah."

She smiled and stabbed him in the stomach. "This is for our mother."

Rebekah pushed him back and Kol stepped forward. He grabbed Klaus's hands behind his back and Rebekah stepped forward menacingly.

"You're free to go." Elijah told us.

Rebekah gave me a quick look and I saw the corners of her mouth perk up. Then Kol's head turned to give me a quick look as well. He looked me up and down before his eyes bored into mine and they glimmered in a sort of way that made my chest hurt.

Damon and Stefan started to walk away, and I followed. Once we were outside I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. I sighed heavily and looked back at the house.

"Lorena." Damon called me. "What are you doing?"

"I-" I shook my head and turned back to Damon. "I don't know."

* * *

><p>Stefan and Damon went home, but I told them I needed to go out.<p>

I went to the Mystic Grill and had one drink, just one. I took my sweet time drinking and thinking. All I could see in my mind, were those cold brown eyes, on a cold, handsome face.

Eventually I smacked myself and went home. What was happening to me?

When I got home, I went to bed and fell asleep quickly.


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 3- _Dangerous Liaisons_

* * *

><p>Chapter 22: Dancing, Cocktails, and Celebration.<p>

I set down my fork and picked up my phone.

"Hello?"

_"It was Esther that was in the coffin." _

"As in the original witch?" I asked Damon.

_"Yeah. Elijah told Elena that she wants to live in peace with her family."_

"I thought that whatever was in the coffin was going to help us kill Klaus?"

_"Not anymore."_

"Well, thats sucks." I said. "Maybe we should just let them live, Damon."

_"What?"_ He spat._ "No."_

"Just a suggestion."

The doorbell rang.

"Hold on. The doorbell just rang." I pulled the phone away from my ear and opened the door. No one was outside, but there was a invitation on the floor with my name neatly printed on it. I picked it up and walked back to the kitchen. I put the phone in between my cheek and shoulder to open the envelope.

"I'm back." I told Damon.

_"Who was it?"_

"Not who-" I unfolded it. "What."

_"Ok, then. What was it?"_

"An invitation."

Damon was silent for a second. _"What does it say?"_

I sighed and read the invitation out loud. "Please join the Mikaelson family this evening at seven o'clock for dancing, cocktails, and celebration."

_"Did Stefan and I get one?"_

"No."

_"Ok." _He stopped.

"What's going on?"

_"Elena just got an invite too. There was a personal message from Esther on the back. He wants to meet her."_

I flipped my invitation over. There was writing on the back of mine too, but it wasn't Esther.

It said: Lorena Salvatore, you are an exquisite beauty. I do hope you save me a dance tonight. Signed, Kol.

I smiled awkwardly and then laughed at the note. He didn't even know me. What angle was he playing at?

_"What are you laughing at?"_

"I got a personal message too."

_"Why would Esther want to meet with you?"_

"Not from Esther."

_"Who then?"_

"No one." I pushed the invitation away. "It doesn't really matter."

_"Lorena."_ He said condescendingly.

"Damon." I mocked his tone. "I have to go, ok?"

_"Bye."_

"See ya." I hung up.

I ran upstairs and changed into tight black jeans with a nicely fitted blue top. I wore boots with a little heel. The person I was about to see, needed to be impressed.

* * *

><p>I took a shaky breath and knocked on the door. It seemed like an eternity before it opened.<p>

"Lorena Salvatore." It was Kol.

"Hello." I greeted. "I'm here to see Rebekah."

"Of course, darling." He said and called for Rebekah. He turned back to me. "Did you get my invitation?"

"I did." I smiled. "And we'll see."

His smirk disappeared from his face. "We'll see?"

I heard the sound of heels coming around the corner of the hall. Then there she was, beautiful and blonde.

"Lorena." She looked me up and down. "Come in."

I stepped inside and we walked closer to each other.

"It's good to see you, Rebekah."

She laughed and pulled me into a bone-crushing hug. I hugged her back with all my might. When we pulled back, I told her my plans.

"I need you to take me shopping for a dress."

She smiled. "Of course you do."

I laughed and let her start to guide me toward the door. I gave Kol a glance before leaving. He was staring at me the way he had when I first looked him in the eyes. It confused me and intrigued me.

* * *

><p>I turned my head and looked at the back of me. I turned around to take in the sight. Beautiful. The dress, I meant.<p>

The dress was a deep wine colour. The top had a high neckline and no sleeves. Where there was a lot of fabric in the front, there wasn't a lot on the back. Almost my whole back was exposed. The top also had intricate detail of swirls in silver. The bottom was meshed and slightly puffed out. The dress was beautiful.

"Beautiful." Rebekah clapped.

"Isn't it?" I said, twirling around.

"I meant you, Lorena."

I turned to look at her. "Thanks, Rebekah."

Rebekah and I had gotten completely caught up with one another.

"Now," She got up and came behind me. She pulled my hair back in different styles. "You're hair looked so beautiful in 1871. Long, blonde, and curly."

My hair now was long, darker blonde, and pin-straight. That was the way I always wore it. But I guess it wouldn't hurt to switch it up.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to switch it up."

Rebekah patted my shoulders. "Great. Now, I've got to go. I'll see you tonight." She called to me as she left the shop.

"Tonight." I sighed and rubbed the dress.

* * *

><p>I closed the door and out of no where, Damon was in front of me.<p>

"You're not going."

I furrowed my brows and walked past him to go upstairs. "Yes, I am."

Damon caught my arm. "No, you're not. Not until you tell me how you know the originals."

I sighed. I was waiting for this and I was ready, but not now. "Not-"

"Now." Damon pulled me to the living room and sat me down. He sat down on the opposite couch and stared me down. I leaned back into the couch a crossed my legs.

"When I was sixteen, I met Nicholas-"

"What does your former lover have to do with it?" Damon said angrily.

"Nicholas was loyal to Klaus. When Nicholas and I got together, I met Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah." I stopped to see his reaction, then I kept going. "Klaus and Nicholas would always be off with something and I spent a lot of time with Rebekah and Elijah. I grew close to them. Elijah would protect me when I needed it, and Rebekah was a very good friend to me. Then, one night Nicholas did something to Klaus. He made him very angry and Klaus ripped his heart from his chest. After that night, I never saw them again. I was left with nothing and no one."

Damon stood from the couch. "So, now you're buddy-buddy with them?"

"No." I stood too. "Kind of. I mean-"

"What?" He spat.

"I'm not going to help you kill Rebekah or Elijah. I won't" I said strongly. "They're good people, Damon."

Damon stayed silent for a little while. "And Klaus?"

If I helped kill Klaus, Rebekah and Elijah would never forgive me. But Damon and Stefan would never forgive me if I didn't.

"I don't know." I answered honestly.

Damon scoffed. "Well, you can tell me when you do know." He walked away.

I sighed heavily and walked upstairs to get ready. I could feel the tears form in my eyes. I hated it when Damon and I fought. Damon and I could go for a long time, too. I remember one time when I was young, Damon and I got into a disagreement and we didn't talk to each other for five weeks. And I was only seven then.

I fell onto my bed and closed my eyes. Maybe if I fell asleep, I would never wake up.

* * *

><p>I woke up.<p>

I groaned and rolled over to look at the clock. It was six o'clock.

I got up and sped around my room, getting on my dress, brushing my teeth and other girly things. I was about to run out the door when I noticed my air. Rebekah wasn't going to like this.

I braided it neatly and quickly down my back. I curled the couple pieces that fell out and decided to be done with it. It would do.

I went to my car as fast as I could and drove to the Mikaelson's house.

* * *

><p>I smoothed my dress and hair before sticking my head up and walking into the house. The house was decorated with beautiful lights and beautiful people everywhere.<p>

I looked around for someone, anyone. I saw Damon. Maybe he didn't like me right now, but he was better than standing alone.

"Hello, Mayor Lockwood." I nodded to her. I turned to Damon and nodded again. "Damon."

"Hi, Lorena. How are you this evening?" She flashed her white teeth.

"Wonderful, just wonderful. Yourself?"

She looked to Damon. "Great."

"Mayor Lockwood.-"

My insides twisted when Kol came over to us. He really did look incredibly handsome in a suit.

"We haven't formally met. Kol Mikaelson." He took her hand and kissed it. He turned to me and his eyes gleamed mischievously. "Lorena Salvatore."

I let him take my hand and kiss it. I saw Damon's hand swoop in next to mine.

"Damon Salvatore." He said. "Have we met?"

Kol smirked. "I've met a lot of people, and you don't particularly stand out."

I pursed my lips to hold in my laugh as Kol walked away. Damon nudged me and told me to follow him. We walked away from Carol and into a secluded corner.

"Tell me one thing." He let go of my arm. "Was he the one who left the personal message?"

"That's none of your business." I stated.

Damon's eyes flared. "Do not get involved with him, Lorena."

"And why not?" I asked. I wasn't planning on it but if it was going to make Damon sweat, I would play it up.

"Just don't" He argued and looked away from me. His body stiffened and I followed his eyes. Elena just showed up and she looked beautiful. Damon gravitated toward her and at the same time I saw Stefan walking to her. I watched them talking and then both of my brothers offering there arms. She accepted both and I didn't try to hide my narrowing gaze.

"Do you need company, darling?" Kol asked me.

I gave him a side-ways glance. "No thank you."

He didn't go away, he just moved closer. "Why so shy?"

I laughed. "I'm not shy. I just don't want your company."

"And why is that?"

I turned to look him in the eyes. "I'm sorry-did you not know that our families hate each other?"

"I'm very aware, darling." He smirked.

"Then why are you still here?" I turned away from him. If I looked him in the eyes any longer, I thought I'd do something stupid.

"I find you very beautiful."

"Thank you." I said distantly and un-sincere.

I felt his fingers grab my chin. He turned me to look him in the eyes.

"You're fighting it." He let go of my chin and moved closer to me.

"Fighting what?" I could feel my breath die in my throat when his body pressed against mine.

"The connection, darling." He said it like it was obvious.

I wanted to make a snarky remark and show him that he wasn't effecting me, but he was. I couldn't say anything. I couldn't concentrate. Not with his body on mine. It was a weird sensation I had never felt in my life.

His face leaned in closer and I let it. My eyes fluttered closed and I waited, but nothing came. When I opened my eyes he was gone. I coughed and smoothed out my dress.

Suddenly, Elijah's voice came through the house.

"Uh, if everyone could gather, please." He started. They were all standing on the stairs, and they all looked amazing. Esther walked down a second later. She was beautiful. "Welcome. Thank you for joining us. You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's a tradition to commence the evening with a dance. Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz, so if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom."

Chatter commenced in the room and my eyes stayed trained on Kol. He walked down the stairs and toward me with a smirk on his face. I smirked back and turned to my left.

"Elijah." I said. "Are you going to ask me to dance?"

He smiled. "Of course." He held out his arm and I took it. When I walked past Kol, I smiled cockily and raised my eyebrows quickly. He smirked, licked his lips, and shook his head.

When Elijah and I were lined up and the music started playing, we started dancing. Step after step and then twirled around into his arms. I saw Elijah take a sideways glance.

"My brother Kol, has been staring at you all night."

I looked over to see Kol looking at me. "Yes, he has. You can tell him I'm not interested." I smiled, because I knew Kol was listening. I turned back to Elijah.

"I'm afraid that he won't give up that easily."

Elijah and I pulled apart and then I was being held by the one and only.

"He's right, Lorena. I won't give up that easily."

Our faces were so close, I felt my chest tighten. I swallowed a weird lump in my throat.

"Please do. I don't want you talking to me."

I felt his hand travel ghostly up and down my spine. I shivered and he laughed.

"C'mon, darling, at least get to know me first."

"Fine." I said. "You can tell me whatever you want about yourself."

"Will do." He smirked. He twirled me around and Damon's face was in mine.

"What are you doing?"

"What?" I asked him. What was he mad about now?

"Flirting with originals, Lorena. That's what you're doing." He whisper-yelled. I squeezed his arm.

"Calm down, Damon." I sighed angrily.

Thankfully the dance came to an end very shortly after that. I walked away from Damon and out of the ballroom. I grabbed a champagne on the way and started drinking it. I heard footsteps behind me. I rolled my eyes and turned around.

"What is it, Kol?"

His eyes were stuck to mine. "How about that offer, darling?"


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 3- _Dangerous Liaisons, All My Children & 1912._

* * *

><p>Chapter 23: Irresistible.<p>

"...And then I came back here and found my brothers." I took a sip of my champagne. "I've been here ever since."

Kol offering to tell me about him, turned into me telling him about myself instead. He listened, though I would catch his staring off in the distance, completely detached from the conversation. I sincerely doubted he cared in the least. I didn't tell him everything. I started from the twenties and went up from there.

I had no idea why I was even talking to Kol. I didn't like him. I had an idea that my openness had to do with the couple glasses of champagne I had.

"Your life was boring."

"My life was safe." I corrected him. "I never had to run from anyone. I never had hide and I didn't have any enemies."

He leaned in close to my face and opened his mouth to say something, but I moved away.

"Stop that." I told him.

He smirked. "Stop what?"

"You know what." I got off the bench and started inside. Kol sped up from behind me and pinned me against the outside of the house.

"You are..." His head dipped into my neck. "Irresistible."

I breathed heavily and blinked cautiously. I felt like if I blinked too slow, my eyes would shut for good. His breath on my neck was causing me to blink slower and slower.

"That's great, really, but-"

His lips came dangerously close to my ear. "You should know that when I want something, I always get it." He pulled away for second and it brought be back to my senses.

"Someone is full of themselves." I smiled and walked back into the house.

* * *

><p>I was walking outside to my car, when Kol came falling down from the balcony. I had a confused look on my face. And the Damon jumped down and started beating him up. What was going on?<p>

"Hey!" I rushed forward to do something. I heard a crack and Kol went limp. I grabbed Damon's neck of his suit an pulled his backward. "What the hell are you doing?"

Stefan came running out. "Damon! Are you crazy?"

I could see all the Mikaelson family members come out as well as Elena. Damon looked at her.

"Maybe a little." His eyes were on Elena. "Far be it from me to cause of problem."

I sighed and shook my head. I didn't have time for their relationship drama. I made sure to roughly bump my shoulder with Damon's as I walked past to my car. I looked back to Kol's body on the floor. I felt weird leaving him there. I felt a tug in my stomach. I turned around and ignored the feeling. I was being ridiculous or drunk or both.

I went home and lied in bed. I tried not to think about anything. If I thought about anything, somehow it drifted to Kol. Kol.

I felt like I knew something. I knew him in a way. I...don't know. I was clearly delusional from the crazy night. I just needed to sleep it off.

* * *

><p>"I'm here to see-"<p>

"Rebekah isn't here, Lorena." Elijah said.

"Lorena." Kol was suddenly behind Elijah. I rolled my eyes and turned around to leave.

"Well, hold on a minute." I heard from behind me. "I was just going to get a drink, care to join?"

"No."

He sped in front of me. "I think you do."

My eyes narrowed. "If you compel me, I'll-"

Kol's loud laugh set off and I furrowed my brows. He looked down at me like I was a child.

"Don't be like that, darling. Let's go for a drink."

I huffed. "One drink."

* * *

><p>One drink turned into many drinks, playing pool, and hanging around the Mystic Grill.<p>

Eventually I got the call from Damon and he told me the plan. Get the dagger from Alaric and dagger Kol. Damon said it should be me, because I was a good distraction. I told him I'd do whatever it took.

"Kol." I said sweetly after he finished shooting.

"Yes, darling?"

I walked over to him with a seductive smile on my face. I was selling it. "Tell me. What's it like being boxed up for almost a century? To not..."

"To not what?"

I made it obvious to look him up and down, then I started to walk toward the bathroom. I made sure he was following and he was. If I could get him into the bathroom and away from people, then I could dagger him.

I walked into the bathroom and Kol came in, not a second after me.

"What is this game you're playing?" He asked.

"No games." I walked slowly toward him. I placed my pointer on the center of his chest and moved it down along his front. I was mesmerized by the feel of him. He was the one who needed to be distracted, not me. I took my finger off of him and looked him in the eyes. "Kiss me."

I grabbed his face tentatively and pulled him closer to me. My hands ran down his sides as he leaned in closer. Our lips almost touched before I grabbed the dagger from my pocket and drove it into his heart.

His mouth jawed open and he made a gagging motion. He made suffocating noises. He reached out for me and I grabbed him, so that he wouldn't slam onto the ground. He fell unconscious and I lowered him to the ground.

I looked at his body. An unsettling feeling was in my stomach. It felt wrong to do that to him. I knew he deserved it, I knew he did but...somehow I didn't. I picked up his body and dragged him out the bar, mumbling to people who stared that he'd had too much to drink. I dragged him all the way to the back alley, where Damon and Stefan were waiting.

"There." I let him fall out of my arms and onto the floor.

Then Klaus was there. He pulled the dagger out of Kol. I could've stopped him, but I didn't. He threw me onto the stairs and did the same to Stefan when he tried to attack. Damon was left, glaring at Klaus.

"I should have killed you months ago." Klaus said.

"Do it." Damon challenged. "That's not gonna stop Esther from killing you."

I saw Klaus advance toward him. "What did you say about my mother?"

"You didn't know I was friends with your mommy?" Damon said. "Ya, we have a lot in common. She hates you as much as I do."

Klaus started forward, but Elijah's voice rang through the alleyway. "Leave him. We still need him, Niklaus."

'What did mother do?" When Elijah didn't answer, Klaus asked again. "What did she do, Elijah?"

Elijah reached into his pocket and walked down the stairs, past Stefan and I. Elijah had his phone in his hand as he stood in front of Damon.

"Tell me where the witches are, or I'll have my sister kill Elena right now."

Damon looked at the clock. "You told me we had until after 9 o'clock."

"I'm sure Rebekah'd be more than happy to start her work early."

* * *

><p>We all sat in silence.<p>

I wasn't with Damon and Stefan. I was with Klaus and Elijah, waiting for Kol to wake up. Our plan already failed and I didn't know why, but I felt like I needed to be there when he woke up.

Suddenly, Kol gasped for air. When his eyes met mine, he was holding me by my neck against the dirty wall of the alleyway.

"Do you have any idea what you just did?" He said angrily.

I tried to breathe for air, but I couldn't. "Yes." I gasped out.

He let go of my neck and smirked. He ran his hand along my cheek and jaw. "See, the debate I'm having now is kill you, don't kill you...it's all so difficult to decide."

I pushed his hand away. "I'm not sorry for daggering you, Kol. I _am_ sorry for what I had to do to dagger you." I referred to almost letting him kiss me.

His smirk grew bigger. "Ah, yes. The almost kiss. That was quite lovely, wasn't it?"

"Brother." Elijah said.

I forgot they were there.

"We must go." Elijah ushered for Kol to join him and Klaus.

Kol turned to me. "I'll be seeing you later, darling." He went off with his brothers.

I went home. That was all I could take for one night.

* * *

><p>I left the house with one thing on my mind. Dreams, I had them all last night. Dreams of Kol. Kol and I kissing, hugging, loving. It was all too real. It had felt real.<p>

"Lorena." Kol stood in front of me. Looked like I wouldn't have to go knocking on the Mikaelson's door after all.

"Kol."

"You need to ask me something?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Yes, but-"

"Your dreams." He smirked.

How did he know? I rolled my eyes in realization. He was making me have them.

I shook my head. "Never mind, Kol. I don't want to know anything." I started to walk off, but he caught my arm.

"Yes, you do." He let go. "So, ask me." He put his hands in his pockets and waited. I gave in.

"Fine. Why did I have those dreams?" I asked to make sure.

"I made you have them."

"Why didn't you kill me last night?"

He seemed to like that question. "I have better plans for you, darling."

"What plans are those?"

He waved his hand to dismiss that question. "Ask another question."

I sighed. "Why are you so interested in me? Why don't you leave me alone?"

He smiled. He walked to me and put his hands on my face. "In due time, darling. In due time."

I ripped his hands away from my face. "Why do I feel this way about you? I just met you! Why do I feel like-like-"

"Like you know me?" He smirked. "Want me?" His eyes darkened. "Love me?"

"What?" I said. "No, no, I-"

"Admit it. We have an undeniable connection."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"

"You want to know?"

I nodded in an obvious manner. "Yes."


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 3- _1912_

* * *

><p>Chapter 24: 1902.<p>

He stepped closer. "That'll have to wait until later, darling. For now-" He put his hand on my back and led me toward my car. "I'm taking you somewhere."

"Where?"

He pushed me into the passenger seat and got into the drivers seat.

"You're not allowed to ask anymore questions." He told me.

I leaned back into my seat and crossed my arms. "Whatever."

Kol started up my car.

* * *

><p>It was beautiful.<p>

We were on top of a big hill. There wasn't any sign of civilization, as we were surrounded by green grass and trees. The sun shined and the sky was clear. If you looked down, you could see the most of Mystic Falls. We climbed all that way, and for what?

"Why are we here?" I asked Kol.

He looked into my eyes. "We're here, because I can't stand it any longer."

"What?"

He looked out on the view. "In 1902, I met this beautiful young woman and I won her over with my incredible charm. I got to know her, she got to know me and we started seeing each other. Both of us, so full of passion- the relationship was like wildfire. She was a true vixen; warm and true but her temper was-her temper was wild. But all good things must come to an end. I knew Klaus was following me and plotting to dagger me, and I fled. I left her behind to save my own life because I knew that somehow I would see her again."

I shook my head. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because." He looked at me again. "You are the girl."

"You're lying." I said immediately. No way. I would've remembered, clearly.

"Am I?" He said dangerously. He grabbed my face in his hands and looked me in the eyes. "Remember me, my Lorena."

_I exited the party to get fresh air in my system. I waited for my car to come around. I wanted to leave immediately._

_"Hello, darling."_

_I turned to see a very handsome young man. "Hello." I turned away from him._

_"Do you need help with something?" He asked suggestively._

_I turned back to him in a huff. "I do not need anything from you."_

_He laughed. "I like you, darling."_

_"You do not know me." I said in an obvious tone._

_He stepped closer to me. "I want to, though."_

_My car rolled around and I smiled thankfully. I smiled at the young man before I left. "It is a shame we will never see one another again."_

_"Yes, a shame it is." He smiled._

_..._

_"You mustn't act that way, Kol." I tried to tell him. _

_He just set off in a rampage. Jeremiah Holden was talking to me and Kol saw. For some reason beyond me, he was in a rage and killed Jeremiah, naturally. Kol never thought about his actions until they were done and even then, I didn't know if he thought about them._

_"He was a threat, darling."_

_"A threat?" I laughed. "To what, Kol? You and I?"_

_"Yes." He growled and walked to me. He grabbed me around my waist and pulled me to him. "I do not like to share."_

_I wrapped my arms around his neck. Somehow I always forgave him; All he had to do was touch me and I was his again. _

_ "You do not have to." I kissed him._

_..._

_"He is not good for you." Eddy told me. _

_Eddy was visiting me after leaving me alone for all of four months. When he came, he saw Kol and I. Eddy got to know Kol, but Kol was not acting very well. Kol did not like another man being around me, especially when the man knew me how Eddy did. At least Kol didn't know Eddy and I were once intimate, because Eddy would be dead in a heartbeat._

_Now Eddy had pulled me away for a lovely walk down the street. Or as it was turning out to be, a terrible walk down the street._

_I sighed but did not say anything._

_"He is dangerous." Eddy continued. "He kills for fun and has no remorse. He will pull you back into that spiral of bad decisions, Lorena."_

_I stopped as I felt myself getting angry. "He is not a bad person, Eddy."_

_"Yes, he is." He argued. "Do you know the real him? Do you even know his last name?"_

_I thought for a brief moment. "No, but-"_

_He grabbed my arm. "How do you not see-" He pulled away from me with an astonished face. "You're in love with him."_

_"Yes." I said strongly. "He makes me feel..." I felt the smile creep up on my face._

_"Stop." Eddy said. "I will support your relationship only because you love him, but no other reason. I still do not like him."_

_"Well," I laughed. "He does not like you very much either."_

_Eddy laughed and started walking again. "I do not care."_

_..._

_"You can have what you would like."_

_I smiled and pointed the the necklace. A simple diamond hung from it's chain, but it was beautiful. _

_Kol smiled and bought it for me. He wrapped the necklace on my neck. Once it was done up, he kissed my neck._

_"Beautiful."_

_I turned around to face him. "Thank you, Kol."_

_"You can have what you would like, Lorena." He kissed me. "Say the word, and you will have it."_

_..._

_I screamed and banged on the door. "Get me out!" I called for the maids. _

_Kol had locked him and I in a room together. We'd been fighting and he wanted for us to be good again. I did not feel like it._

_"Listen to me, Lorena." He commanded. _

_I refused to listen to a word he had to say. Every time I would turn myself away from him, he would break something. He was scaring me. I knew what he was capable of and it scared me to no end. When he was in a blinding rage, nobody could stop him. I had a feeling he was getting close to that, but I kept going._

_"No!" I screamed. "I will not listen! I will never listen!."_

_He stomped over to me and grabbed my wrist. "You will listen to me."_

_I ripped my wrist away from him and huffed out my breath. I raised my arm to slap him across the face, but he caught my hand._

_I tried to pull my hand away and he only pulled me closer to him. Our bodies pressed together and with our heavy breathing, the room started to spin. The room came upright again when his lips came down on mine. Rough and passionate. _

_I would never get tired of Kol's lips on mine. Never._

_..._

_I admired the ring on her finger._

_Milena__ Culling got engaged to the love of her life and she was bragging to no end. She flashed the beautiful jewellery to anyone who would listen or look at her. She was annoying, but I couldn't help the longing feeling growing inside of me. It happened every once in a while. The longing to be human again. Milena would marry the love of her life and have children, who would have children, who would have children. I would never have that with anyone. _

_"It's beautiful. Now, go away." Kol said when I let go of Milena's hand. He didn't compel her to do so, which led Milena to stalk away angrily._

_"Kol." I sighed. "Why must you be that way?"_

_"She was annoying." He said simply._

_"Yes, but-"_

_"But nothing, darling." He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me. I pulled his hands from my face and into my own._

_"She is happy." I said sadly._

_"And you are not?" He backed away from me. I pulled him closer._

_"Of course I am happy." I smiled. "I just-we will never have that."_

_"Darling," He laughed. "What we have is enough. We do not need to be married."_

_I pulled my hands from his. "What if that is what I want? What if I want to be married?"_

_He grabbed my hands again and pulled me close. He wrapped his arms around my body and pushed my head into his chest. He kissed my forehead and stroked my hair. _

_"We are not getting married, Lorena."_

_I sighed and hugged him tighter. "I know."_

_..._

_Kol's hand smoothed up and down my bare back. We had just made love and he was being very quiet, which was unusual for him. _

_I rolled onto my stomach and rested my head against the pillow. I looked into his eyes._

_"What is on your mind?"_

_"Nothing, darling." He dismissed me._

_"Kol." I said. "There is something on your mind. What is it?"_

_He sighed. "I must leave, Lorena." He sat up. __I sat up with him._

_"What?"_

_He moved from the bed and stood. He was picking up his items of clothing. "I must leave. I am in danger."_

_I sat up and moved to get my clothes as well. "Then we will leave as soon as we can."_

_Kol came in front of me. "Not we, darling, just me."_

_I put my hands on his face. "Do not worry, Kol. We will be gone by sun rise." I said, ignoring his rule. He grabbed my wrist._

_"I am being very serious, darling. You are not coming with me."_

_I tugged my hand from him. "Why?" I said angrily. Did he not love me? I loved him. "I love you, Kol. Please-"_

_"No." He said. He sighed and put one hand behind my neck. He kissed me for a long time, and then pulled away with a pained look on his face. He looked me in the eyes. "You will forget meeting me. You will forget the moments we shared and falling in love with me. You do not know a Kol."_

_..._

I felt my knees go weak. Kol caught my shoulders before I fell to the ground.

I remembered everything, every single little thing. I remembered the time we met, the time we spent together, and loving each other. It was like my dream. Every moment seemed to real. I now realized why it seemed to real. Because it was. All the things I dreamt about and all the things I remembered actually happened.

"Do you see now, darling?" He said. "You're mine."

I removed his hands from me and pushed him roughly. "This doesn't change anything between us."

Kol scoffed. "Of course it does. You love me, Lorena. I know you do."

"It's not 1902 anymore, Kol. I'm not yours."

He grabbed my shoulders roughly. "You are mine. You have always been mine."

I pushed him away again. "No." I shook my head. "Don't talk to me."

I willed myself to walk away from someone I loved so much. It was weird. I didn't even know him one moment and then the next moment, I knew everything about him and loved him. I loved Kol. Everything that happened almost a century ago, was buried inside of me and I didn't even know it.

"You will come to your senses sooner or later." Kol called after me.

"Doubtful." I yelled back. But even I didn't find my tone very convincing. He surprised me by speeding in front of me.

"I have to leave." He said. "I can't stay here when Esther is a threat to my life."

"So?" I said carelessly, but felt the pain in my heart of him leaving. I wanted to slap myself across the face. I felt like I desperately needed him and it was bugging me because I knew that he was a bad person, who did bad things.

"So," He mocked me. "Say the word and I'll stay."

I let my mouth fall open. Did he think that I would ask him to stay? I wanted to. I was contradicting myself. I couldn't believe him, thinking that I would ask him to stay. Yet, I wanted him to stay. I wanted him to stay in Mystic Falls and let me love him again. I wanted him more than anything in the entire world.

Stay.

"Go." I said. I knew it was right. I knew he shouldn't stay and if I could make him leave, I should do it.

Kol's smirk dropped from his face. "Fine." He said coldly. He took a step forward, so his body almost touched me. "But don't think for a second this makes me think that you don't want me. I know you want me and I will be back."

Then he was gone. I sighed heavily and sat on the ground. I needed to get up and leave. Leave Mystic Falls. Running away from my problems was something I was very good at.


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 3- _1912, Break On Through, The Murder of One and Heart of Darkness_

* * *

><p>Chapter 25: Denver.<p>

I left with no explanation, no note, no phone call, no warning of any kind. Damon called me multiple times and I even got a couple from Stefan, but I didn't answer any of them.

I was in Spain. Madrid to be exact. I needed to get away and not think about anything. I didn't want to tell my brothers about Kol, with the fear of being shut out. Damon was very stubborn and frankly, over-protective. My news of being in love with an original vampire would not settle well with him. And I had no idea how Stefan would react, being in the weird state he's in of caring one moment and being a dick the next.

I looked down at my phone. Damon was calling again, and he would keep calling until I picked up.

"Hello?" I said casually.

_"Oh, hello." _Damon scoffed_. "Yeah, hello to you too Miss. I'm going to disappear without telling anyone!"_

"Damon-"

_"Don't!"_ He said angrily. _"Do you have any idea-"_

"Damon." I said again. "Listen carefully to what I'm about to say, because I'm not saying it again."

_"Fine."_ He huffed.

"I left for a good reason, ok? And when I return, you will get an explanation." I sighed. "I just needed to leave, alright? I'll be back within the month. I promise."

_"It better be a very good explanation."_ He emphasized the 'very'. He hung up after that, obviously not wanting to hear anymore from me.

I put my phone down on the table as my waiter put a drink down on my table.

* * *

><p>Damon was telling me the latest about Alaric's ring turning him into a psychopath who kills council members, Sage coming back, Rebekah trying to find more white oak. Wickery Bridge being made out of white oak, Rebekah burning down any of the white oak...except for the Wickery Bridge sign that Rebekah didn't know about...<p>

_"...And now we have weapons."_

"Hm." I hummed. I tried to be happy for them, but I got a knotted feeling in my stomach. They had weapons to kill the originals; What happens to one, happens to all. My Kol-I mean Kol would be killed.

_"You don't sound happy."_

"I am." I perked for his benefit. "I just had a rough night is all."

Ya, that didn't make me feel very good. I thought about going back, but I couldn't. Not yet.

Then Stefan called me and told me Damon was taken by Rebekah and I couldn't take it anymore.

_"I'm just going to come home." I said. "Clearly, you two can't manage without me."_

_Stefan laughed. "Clearly."_

* * *

><p>I arrived to Stefan storming out of the house. He saw me and motioned me to come with him. I got into his car after him.<p>

"I got here as fast as I could." I said and I hesitated to ask my next question. "Did it work?"

"No."

I felt a little guilty for the immense relief I felt. Finn was dead, but Kol wasn't.

"How?" I asked.

Stefan hands clenched the wheel. "Klaus made Bonnie do a spell to unlink them. When we killed Finn, they were already unlinked."

"Oh." I looked at his nearly shaking body. "I know you're angry, but-"

"But?" He looked at me with anger in his eyes.

"I don't know." I shook my head. Stefan sighed.

"Something happened."

"Ok?" I motioned for him to continue.

"Sage died, and then her right hand man, Troy, died too." He started. "It was the bloodline. Finn turned Sage, and Sage turned Troy."

I thought about it. "So, that means-"

"When an original dies, so does their entire bloodline."

I started breathing heavily. "Well-well, what-who turned you and Damon? Because if we don't-if we don't know then-"

"I know." Stefan said calmly. "You were turned by Nicholas...who was Nicholas turned by?"

I knew exactly who turned Nicholas. Klaus. The main person everyone wanted to kill. If Klaus died, I would die too. I should tell Stefan, but I didn't want to stand in their way. This was something they wanted so badly it hurt them to no end.

"I don't know." I lied and shook my head like I couldn't figure it out. "I have no idea."

"Could it have been Klaus?"

"I don't know. Where are we going?" I said, eager to change the subject.

"We're going to get Damon."

* * *

><p>We walked in to see a bloodied Damon, hanging from chains that gripped his wrists. I wanted to rush to him, but made no movement to do so. I would remain calm and collected throughout the whole ordeal.<p>

"Klaus! I'm here." Stefan yelled out. "Let's do this."

Rebekah and Klaus emerged from a door.

"What do you want?" Klaus asked.

I made an effort to keep my gaze locked on a wall, so I wouldn't have to look at Rebekah. She probably didn't even think of me when she was torturing Damon. She was so selfish.

I heard Stefan throw the bag full of stakes on the floor.

"I'm here to make a deal."

"Stefan, what are you doing?" Damon barely got out. Stefan ignored him.

"Eight stakes, made of white oak. The part of Wickery Bridge that you forgot to burn."

Klaus was probably giving Rebekah a dirty look.

"That's impossible." Rebekah said.

"Actually, it's not." Stefan countered. "Finn's dead."

I whipped my head around. That wasn't part of the plan.

"You killed my brother?" Rebekah did not look happy. Neither did Klaus. Stefan stepped closer to him.

"Damon in exchange for the last eight weapons that could kill you."

"And how do I know there aren't anymore left?"

"Because there aren't." Stefan said quickly.

Klaus looked at him pointedly. "Let's be certain, shall we?"

He walked around Stefan, to Damon and told him to leave. Damon refused to, and Klaus compelled him. Damon then started to pull his hands out of the restraints, taking all of his skin with him. Neither Stefan or I budged. Klaus told him to stop. He asked Damon how many stakes there were left and Damon spilled and it turned into a yelling match.

"I'll get the other three." Stefan reassured Klaus.

"Ya, that'll be nice or since you lied, maybe I'll just compel your brother to chew out his own tongue."

"What is wrong with you?" Stefan asked him.

"What is wrong with _you_?" Klaus shouted. "Do you really have no appreciation for me? I have given you someone to hate; to loathe, a target for all your anger. So you don't have to turn in on yourself." Klaus stopped shouting. "I have given your life purpose as your friend. I really think you should be thanking me."

Stefan rushed to grab Klaus by the neck. He had a stake raised and ready to go.

"Step down." Klaus warned. "Or you'll all die." His eyes flickered to me for a moment. Stefan let go of the stake and into Klaus's hand it went.

"There." Klaus smirked. "Now you'll only have to get me the other two."

Rebekah decided to speak up. "This is ridiculous." She walked over to Damon and released him. Klaus asked what she was doing. "I brought him here, I get to release him. My rules now." She looked at Stefan. "Bring us the stakes and you live. Take your brother as a sign of good faith." She grabbed to stakes and walked out. She gave me a glance and I shook my head in her direction. I hoped she could feel the waves of hate rolling off of me going toward her.

"Bring us the stakes." Klaus said. "All of them. Or I'll wage a war on everyone you love. I hope I'm being clear."

While Klaus and Stefan were having a moment, I wrapped Damon's arm over my shoulder.

"Remember that time I said you weren't stupid and then I took it back? Ya, I stand by that decision."

* * *

><p>I sat on Damon's bed and listened to Elena confess her sins; Loving both of my brothers. Stefan asked her if she had feelings for Damon and she said that she didn't know what she felt. She didn't say she loved Damon, but she didn't deny it either.<p>

Damon left to get one of the stakes from Alaric, and I was left to ponder on his bed.

Stefan was right. We were all back to where we started, but one thing never changed. Elena being the problem never changed. She was the source of every single one of my brothers problems. They were so stupid; So blinded from love that they couldn't even see that Elena was making both of them hate each other. Or maybe they did. Maybe they both knew what is was doing to them and they chose to do it anyway.

Love. I scoffed. It was such a petty inconvenience.

I couldn't stand it. I couldn't stand watching them hate each other because of her. I couldn't even look at Elena without the urge of ripping out her jugular. She was annoying and selfish when it came to my brothers. She would let herself die for those she loved but she couldn't even decide which brother she wanted.

I went back to my room and laid on my own bed, but I still thought about how much I hated Elena Gilbert.

* * *

><p>I tapped my foot on the back of Damon's seat.<p>

"Cut it out." He told me sternly.

I rolled my eyes and stopped.

I was in a car with Damon and Elena and I was bored out of my mind. But it was either this or staying home with Stefan and looking after Alaric. Yeah, Alaric's alter ego hid the stake (the one that could kill an entire vampire bloodline, yeah, that one) on us, so we were keeping him locked up for the time being.

Damon, Elena, and I were going to Denver to pick up Jeremy. Know that Klaus knew where he was, it wasn't safe for him.

I don't know why I thought going with Damon and Elena was a better idea that staying with Stefan, but it was too late to turn back now considering we were in Denver already.

We arrived at the batting cages. I guess Jeremy was into baseball.

"There he is." Elena pointed to a very healthy, happy Jeremy. But he wasn't very good at baseball. Damon made a snide comment and I laughed. Elena rolled her eyes and grabbed Jeremy's attention.

"Hey, Jer."

Jeremy turned around in surprise. "Elena?" I saw him look and Damon and I. Apparently a sure sign that something was wrong. "What's wrong?" He asked.

Jeremy came out of the batting cage and told Jeremy everything. We started walking back to the benches as Damon finished up.

"Katherine sired Stefan and myself, Rose sired Katherine, all we need to do is find out who sired Rose."

Jeremy put away his bat. "So you traveled across the country to get me to talk to a dead vampire?"

"Dead vampire's redundant, but yes." Damon confirmed

"Well, I can't." Jeremy told him. "I can talk to Anna and Vickie because I knew them. I've never even met Rose." He put his helmet away.

"What good is you dying and coming back to life if you can't talk to a ghost when I need you to?" Damon said.

"Rose spent a long time running from Klaus as well." Elena jumped in. "She and Damon were close, so maybe we can use him as a connection."

Jeremy sighed. "Fine, fine. Can we do this later? My friend just got here. And yes, Damon, I actually have some. I'll call you when I'm done."

I felt a tug on my body and turned to see what gave me this feeling.

Kol was striding towards us with a baseball casually sitting on his shoulder.

Great, just great.

Kol peered at me with a smirk and then looked at Damon.

"Damon, it's Kol." Elena backed away.

Kol came forward and hit Damon in the neck with the bat, causing it to break in half. I backed away with Elena.

"What the hell are you doing?" Jeremy yelled. Pathetic.

"Jeremy, get back, he's an original." Elena called to Jeremy.

Kol walked over to where the bats were kept. "No hard feelings, mate. But we're not buds." He picked out an aluminium bat. "You know, I'll never get used to aluminum. But hey, at least it won't break." He went to smash the bat on Damon again, but Damon grabbed him and shoved the broken piece of the wooden bat inside of Kol's chest. Kol groaned and fell on his face, the piece of bat sticking up through him.

"Did you kill him?" Jeremy came closer to us. Damon wiped himself off as he got up.

"No, but it'll give us a head start. Come on." He ushered Elena to the exit.

* * *

><p>We settled into a motel for Jeremy to contact Rose.<p>

The whole time there, I had an unsettled feeling in my stomach. The person I loved just got stabbed by my brother and now we're hiding out. I was worried for Kol, though I knew he would be just fine.

I stepped outside to get a snack. Being in that room with all that uncomfortable tension was wearing me out.

I put my quarter in and pressed the buttons. I saw the candy bar stall at the last moment. I groaned and kicked the machine lightly in the hope that it would fall. When it didn't, I kicked harder and then harder and harder. It almost fell over, but I caught it quickly. When I set it back up, I saw that the candy bar wasn't stuck anymore. I sighed happily and reached inside to grab the candy bar. Then I turned around and-

"All that for a candy bar, darling?"

"Kol." I sighed. "Here to kills us all?" I started to un-wrap my snack.

Kol laughed humourlessly. "Not quite yet."

Suddenly I was being held against the wall. I peered over Kol's shoulder at my candy bar on the ground.

"You're going to pay for that."

He laughed and ducked his head into my neck. I sucked in a breath.

"Oh? And what will you have me do?" He said into my collarbone. He kissed it and I nearly lost my mind. To feel his lips on my skin again for the first time in almost a decade was...wait, what was I doing? He wanted to kill Damon.

I reached my hand up and gripped the collar of him jacket to push him away, but he landed another kiss on me. This time he opened his mouth wider and kissed my neck rougher. I bit my lip to conceal a moan. I would go to hell if I fell into his arms. But I already had. He was landing multiple kisses and my neck and my hands were on his back and in his hair, just everywhere.

I moaned softly and that's when I pushed him away. I breathed out and straightened my jacket.

"I see you still can't resist me."

"Go to hell." I spat.

He leaned in closer and smirked. He kissed the corner of my mouth and sped off.


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 3- _Heart of Darkness, Do Not Go Gentle, Before Sunset, & The Departed._

* * *

><p>Chapter 26: Dying.<p>

The only thing we got is that Rose was turned by a vampire named Mary and now it was extremely awkward for me. I was sitting at the table and Elena was laying in one of the beds. She obviously wasn't sleeping and when Damon came out with his mid-section on display, I could hear her heartbeat pick up. I was stuck in a room with two people who desperately wanted each other.

I pretended to not notice her staring at him, Damon laying on the bed with her, them holding hands, and Elena running out. I also pretended to not hear them making out outside the room. I stifled a giggle. As much as I absolutely hated Elena, Damon was finally getting something he wanted.

Jeremy woke up and looked around. "Rose?"

I stayed silent and Jeremy got up from the bed.

"What'd she find?" I asked.

"Rose found Mary. She lives in Kansas."

"Oh, cool." I said, leaning back into my chair.

Jeremy looked at Elena's bed. "Where's Elena?"

I smirked and pointed to the door. "See for yourself."

Jeremy left the room. Damon came in a second later. I smirked at him.

"Having fun?"

He smiled and then coughed. "Get up. We're going to Kansas."

* * *

><p>When we walked inside, I saw that the house was a mess. Elena held the flashlight so we could see everything. Papers piled upon papers were placed throughout the whole house, and useless things carelessly thrown anywhere.<p>

"It's like vampire hoarders." I said.

"Who is this Mary person?" Elena asked.

"Scary Mary. Really old, super creepy."

How did Damon know her again? I was about to ask, but Elena did it for me.

"And how do you know her?"

"You know." Damon made a face and I laughed. He slept with her, obviously.

Elena scoffed. "Of course."

"What? I said creepy, not ugly." Damon defended himself.

We heard a bang from somewhere in the house. We all walked toward a set of doors and Damon opened them. It was a study of some sort and placed upon the wall was not a picture, but a dead body. Mary's dead body, I guessed.

"Mary." Damon said.

The lights flickered on.

"Quite contrary."

Kol.

He was sitting down with a baseball bat placed on his shoulder. He had a cocky look on his face. He got up and walked to Mary's body.

"Shame about Mary. She used to be a blast." He turned to us. "I don't quite know what happened. I fear all the time she spent with my family might have ruined her. She was a bit of an original groupie."

I didn't like the sound of that.

"And were you her favourite?" Elena asked.

"You mean, did I turn her?" Kol said. "I think I did. But no, wait. Maybe it was Rebekah. But there was also a Klaus period. And let's not forget the Elijah affair. I spoke to my brother. I know you're trying to find out who you descended from. Now you never will. So-" He tapped the baseball bat on the ground. "Where did we leave off?"

I saw Kol wind up and I sped in his way. The bat hit me in the knee and I heard a crack.

"Don't get in my way, darling." I heard him say. I also heard him hit Damon multiple times.

"Elena, get out of here." Damon said.

I saw Elena make a run for the door, but Kol sped in front of her. "According to my brother, you're off-limits. Please, just don't test me." He threw her into the wall.

Damon rushed and grabbed Kol around the neck. "Don't touch her."

Kol simply head-butted Damon like it was nothing. Damon flew across the room. I got up and grabbed Elena's elbow. I was ready to run.

"Oh, dear." Kol started. "I've hit a nerve. Relax, darling. I just want us to be even. You snapped my neck, you killed my brother, and then you humiliated me." He hit Damon with the bat many times. "There. Now, we're even."

Kol sped to me and caressed my cheek. "I'll see you around, darling." He sped off after that and Elena wasted to time in making sure Damon was ok. I sped outside and looked around for any sign of Kol. There wasn't any and I waited outside for Elena and Damon to come out.

* * *

><p>The car ride home was the most awkward part of the trip. No one spoke. No one said anything. By the time we dropped Elena and Jeremy off, Damon looked like he could use a serious nap.<p>

I climbed in the front. "What happened, Damon? What happened inside the house?"

"Elena can't decide which brother she wants." He said bitterly.

I scoffed. "Tell me something I don't know." I leaned back into my seat. "Remember when I told you that it was okay to selfish with the ones you love?"

Damon nodded.

"Elena is being selfish with you, Damon. She's kissing you and leading you on. It's okay to be selfish with the one you love, but not for this long and not if someone else is involved."

"I know." Damon said hardly.

"No, you don't!" I tried not to raise my voice. "You don't see what she's really doing. You have a biased point of view; You're in love with her. As someone who is not in love with Elena, I can see that she is an manipulative bitch and-"

"Don't." He warned me.

"Or what?" I challenged. "Are you going to kill me? You're own blood?" Now I was shouting. Damon stayed quiet and I continued. "Just curious Damon, if it came down to it, who would you choose? Me or Elena?"

Damon shook his head at my nonsense. "I-"

"Who would you choose, Damon!?"

"I don't know!" He yelled. He sighed and pulled up in front of the house. "I don't know."

"Unbelievable." I scoffed and got out of the car. "The only reason I haven't ripped Elena's heart out is because you and Stefan are so pathetically in love with her!" I stormed away, but not in the direction of the house. "I think...I think I'll stay somewhere else tonight."

Damon might have protested, but I tuned him out. I got into my car and drove away, trying to find a decent hotel.

* * *

><p>I spent the whole day wallowing in self-pity. No one called me, not one single person. The decade dance passed by and no one called.<p>

And the same as the next day. Wallowed in self-pity, but Damon called.

"What do you want, Damon?"

_"I'm in the forgiving mood, Lorena. So...what do you say to a road trip?"_

"You're in the forgiving mood?" I said incredulously "Well, I'm not."

Damon then told me everything. Everything about Alaric and him being a vampire to end all vampires, his life being tied to Elena's, the plan to stop Alaric, and the desiccation spell Bonnie put on Klaus. Which led to him asking me to help get Klaus's body.

"Stefan's not there?"

Damon sighed heavily. _"He's making sure Elena is safe."_

"Of course he is." I said pitifully. "Well...I'm ready for a road trip."

* * *

><p>I was in the car with Damon when we got a phone call.<p>

Elijah was at the Gilbert's residence, making a deal with Elena too take the stake from Alaric, have the Mikaelson's scatter across the world, and have Alaric follow. That would take Alaric away from Elena, so she would be able to live her life. It involved giving Klaus's body back to Elijah but didn't involve reviving Klaus. The plan sounded great to me.

_"So, Elena, I leave it to you to decide whether to trust me or not." _Elijah said.

"Not!" Damon said like it was obvious. "Hello? Did that concussion give you brain damage? His lunatic siblings will kill you the first chance they get."

That was something I could live with, but obviously not Damon.

_"Rebekah and Kol will honour the terms. If you return Klaus's body to us, Elena will come to no harm. Do we have a deal?"_

"No." Damon shouted over and over. I put my hand on his shoulder and gave him a look. He stopped saying no and looked at the phone with an intense gaze. We waited anxiously to hear Elena's decision.'

_"We have a deal."_

I hid the 'end call' button as fast as I could before Damon said something stupid. Damon groaned angrily and gripped the wheel.

"You know, if she's going to choose you, you have to learn to let her make her own decisions." I said.

"Whatever." He mumbled.

I laughed at his state. "Oh, don't be like that, Damon."

"She's going to get herself killed!" He exasperated.

"She'll be fine." I leaned back into my seat and closed my eyes. "Stefan will make sure of that."

Damon mumbled something, probably about Stefan as I let myself drift off.

* * *

><p>Damon left inside the storage unit to get the body and he told me to wait in the car. Bonnie came and she was inside with Damon. She was here for some reason...<p>

We were going to stay with the body until Rebekah came and picked it up. I was tapping my foot against the dashboard to a song in my head. When I saw Alaric, I quickly ducked in my seat.

What was he doing here? I thought Stefan had a plan. Stefan said that Jeremy gave him the wrong address, the address the would lure Alaric to Caroline and Elijah, not us.

Once I figured I was in the clear, I snuck into the storage lockers. I found Damon, unconscious on the floor. I sighed and readied my fist. I punched him in the face. I knew it wouldn't do much. If anything, it would speed up the process.

Within ten/twenty minutes, Damon was up and ready to go. I told him Rebekah came and he told me to stay put. Then he sped off, not telling me where he was going.

I sighed and got up. I walked down the hallways in boredom. If I didn't run into Damon, I'd run into Alaric. At this point, I didn't care which one.

I heard the commotion a couple minutes later and ran for it. When I got there, it was already done.

Damon was holding back Rebekah, and Alaric was standing over Klaus's body, which had a stake through it and was started on fire.

I walked over and grabbed Rebekah from Damon. I was over the whole torturing Damon fiasco with her. No one deserved to watch their family die, even if she hurt mine.

She was hysterical. I stroked her hair and told her that everything was going to fine. That was a complete lie, but she needed to hear it.

Alaric shut the coffin and pointed to Rebekah. "You're next."

"Rebekah." I whispered in her ear. "Run, Rebekah. Run." I gave her a push and she ran off.

Damon and I both charged for Alaric and not surprisingly, being the super vampire he is, he fended off both of us easily. And then he was no where to be seen.

* * *

><p>Damon and I sat on the ground, against his car.<p>

"Damon." I turned to him. "I have to tell you something."

He looked at me. "What?"

"I know Klaus told you that he was the creator of your bloodline and he might've been lying-"

Damon scoffed. "Obviously he was lying or I'd be dead by now."

"I don't know, Damon." I said unsurely. "Because I should be dead right now, and I'm not."

He narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Nicholas turned me, and I know-I mean-I knew the whole time that-that-" I started breathing quickly. "Nicholas was turned by Klaus."

"What?" He sat up straight. "Why the hell didn't you say anything?" He stood up and I stood up with him.

"I didn't want you to not kill him, Damon. I knew that's what you wanted."

He grabbed my shoulders roughly. "Not if it meant that you were going to die, Lorena!"

"I'm sorry, Damon." I tried. "But, I'm going to die soon and I'd really like it if you weren't mad at me."

Damon shook his head and looked me in the eyes. "And you say I'm the stupid one."

I smiled and wrapped my arms around him. When we pulled back, I told him that he should call Stefan. He looked at me like he didn't want to do it, but I urged him to. Damon pulled out his phone and called Stefan.

_"Damon."_

"Bad news, brother. Alaric staked Klaus. He's dead."

_"I feel ok. Do you guys feel anything?"_

"No." I said.

"No." Damon said for after giving me a look. I shook my head for Damon not to tell him.

_"It took Sage about an hour before she got sick." _Stefan reminded us.

"Yeah, or Klaus is lying about being the sire of our bloodline." Damon looked at me again. Whether Klaus was the sire of Damon and Stefan's bloodline or not, I knew he was mine. I would die either way.

_"Well, if he wasn't lying...an hours not enough time to get you all the way back to Mystic Falls."_

Damon chuckled. "What, so we can have an epic goodbye, Stefan?"

_"Not us, brother. You and Elena."_

"Well, I guess you'll just have to say goodbye for both of us, won't you?" Damon said. "Lorena needs to tell you something." He handed the phone to me and I shook my head.

_"Lorena?"_

I sighed and took the phone. "Listen to me, Stefan. I love you, ok?" I felt the tears form in my eyes. "You and Damon are the greatest big brothers in the entire universe and I wouldn't trade you two for anything over all of our incessant bickering. We love each other and stand by each other." I breathed in. "I knew all along that Nicholas was turned by Klaus."

_"What? How could you not-"_

"I'm not finished." I said strongly. "I'm going to die, but you two might not, so promise me something." I looked at Damon.

_"Anything." _Stefan said.

"Whoever Elena chooses...don't forget that you're family. Don't forget that it's the Salvatore's that have that unbreakable family bond. Whoever Elena chooses, just remember that you're brothers." I finished.

_"I promise." _Stefan said quickly.

Damon looked at me with hard eyes. "I promise."

"Good." I said to both of them. "We'll call you if...if something happens." I was talking about me dying, but I couldn't say it aloud. I hung up the phone and gave it back to Damon. He took it and put it in his pocket. We looked at each other and I let the tears fall from my face.

"Come here." He moved his arm up and I crawled under it.

"I love you, Damon." I sniffled.

"I love you too, Lorena." I felt the wetness on my hair. He was crying. "It's not fair. I haven't seen you since you were ten, since you were human. I just got you back, Lorena."

"I know, Damon. Life is cruel and unfair. Especially when you love so deeply. But those people get the biggest rewards, the ones who love like that." I sniffled. "Don't tell Stefan but...you were always my favourite." I tried to make the best of the situation.

He laughed. "Your secrets safe with me." He kissed my forehead and we fell into silence. The only thing to be heard was my soft and quiet sobs.

Eventually I fell asleep. I hoped that I would die that way; Sleeping.

* * *

><p>I woke up when I felt a tickle in my throat. I started coughing and I felt Damon's hands on my back. I coughed and coughed. When I opened my eyes, I saw blood. I turned and sat against the car tiredly.<p>

Damon's face was bloodied. I saw Alaric dead body somewhere behind him. Elena's dead.

"How do you feel?" I asked Damon. He looked completely fine. I on the other hand, wasn't feeling too great.

"I feel fine." I could see his eyes glistening and I grabbed the sides of his face. "This is it for me, Damon."

"No." He cupped my face in his large hands. "No, no, no. Don't die, Lorena. Please-"

I started coughing again and I rubbed my throat. "I'm sorry that you've had to lose so much tonight, Damon. I'm sorry that Elena's dead and I'm sorry that I won't be there to help you get through it. I'm so sorry." I felt my eyelids droop. I gave into the sudden tiredness easily.

I head Damon yelling and slamming things before the darkness engulfed me.


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 4- _Growing Pains & Memorial._

* * *

><p>Chapter 27: I'm Alive.<p>

I gulped back my drink in one shot.

"What are you doing, Damon?"

I looked around to Stefan. "What does it look like, brother?" I help up my glass and smiled crookedly.

"Drinking isn't going to change anything." Stefan sat down on the couch. "It's not going to change the fact that Elena is in transition and it's not going to change the fact that-" He stopped.

"Say it." I demanded. When he was silent, I felt every bone in my body turn cold. "Say it!"

"That Lorena's dead." He yelled.

We both stopped moving. Everything stopped moving.

Our sister...dead, gone, just like that. One moment she was there and telling me that I was stupid and that I wasn't stupid and 'it's ok to be selfish' and laughing and being her, and the next she was gone. Our baby sister was dead.

My knees gave out and I fell to the floor. Stefan was crying. I was crying. We were pathetic.

"She was stupid." I said bitterly.

"Don't say that, Damon." Stefan tried to put his hand on my back for comfort, but I shook him off.

"If she had told us-" I gripped my hair and tugged on it harshly. "If she had just told us that-" I slammed my fist against the floor. If she had just told us Klaus sired her bloodline, she would still be alive.

"I know, Damon." He grabbed my shoulder. "But now, we need to be there for Elena."

Stefan didn't seem to be taking Lorena's death hard, but I saw right through him.

We stayed with Elena most of the night. We came back to change our clothes, brush our teeth, brush our hair, and then go straight back to Elena.

Stefan barely said anything throughout the night. He mumbled every now and then, but there was a permanent glisten in his eyes. He was trying to stay strong, probably for me. Funny, isn't it? My little brother, trying to stay strong for his older brother in the death of our little sister. I was being stupid and weak. Lorena's death made tears fall down my face. I shamefully wiped them away every time, but they just kept coming.

The only thing keeping me sane was Elena. I loved her and she was still alive.

"C'mon." He picked me up by my arm. "Let's go back to Elena's."

I shoved his hand away roughly, but continued toward the door. "I don't need a babysitter, Stefan."

* * *

><p>I woke up in the Salvatore boarding house. I woke up in my bed. I woke up.<p>

I took in my surroundings with a smile. I stopped when I looked into a mirror. I was dressed in a beautiful white gown and my hair was curled. I looked perfect. I looked like I should've been placed in a coffin.

I was supposed to die and I didn't. Or maybe I was dead and I was a ghost. Only one way to find out.

I walked down the stairs slowly and quietly, only to find that no one was home. Damon and Stefan were no where in sight. But I needed to know if I was really dead.

I looked down at my daylight ring. Could ghost still feel pain? I slid it off my finger and went to the curtain. My hands lingered on them before ripping them open. At first I felt nothing, then the searing pain of my skin being burnt. I sped away and put on my ring.

What did that mean?

I sat down and the couch and fiddled with the beautiful dress that I was wearing.

* * *

><p>It was nightfall and I was still sitting in the exact same position; On the couch, fiddling with the beautiful dress I was wearing.<p>

I heard the door open and my heart jumped out of my chest. I stood and watched Damon walk through the door, angrily. He looked my way and then sat on the couch. Did he see me? I was standing right in front of him. Damon's head was down, but he slowly looked up. His eyes met mine.

"Am I imagining this?" He said skeptically.

I shook my head. "No."

"Are you alive?"

I shook my head again, but this time with uncertainty. "I don't know."

Damon stood from the couch and looked me up and down. He facial expression was stuck in a frown. He reached out and his hand nearly touched my cheek. I felt his fingers and judging by his reaction, he felt it too. His hand dropped. I laughed as tears ran down my face. I gripped the sides of Damon's head with my small hands.

"I'm alive."

He squeezed me into an endearing hug. The hug held to many emotions, so many things.

"I thought-"

"Ssh." I stroked his hair. "I'm not dead, Damon."

I pulled back from his but we kept our hands on each other.

"I don't know how I'm alive but-"

Damon breathed in from recognition. "Klaus possessed Tyler's body. You can thank Bonnie for that." He said sarcastically. "He never died and neither did you." He smiled genuinely.

I laughed, then it softened and disappeared. Elena...

"Elena-"

"Is a vampire." Damon interrupted.

"What-how did-and why-" I stuttered.

"Ssh." Damon pulled me into another hug. "You're not dead, Lorena. Let me hug you."

I smiled into his shoulder. "I love you, Damon."

"I love you too, Lorena."

* * *

><p>I was in my room, waiting for Stefan to come home. He must've still been on the roof with Elena.<p>

I stopped still when I heard my window slam shut.

"Lorena."

I turned around in surprise. "Kol."

His face was stoney. "Rebekah called me and told me Nik was dead."

"Oh, we-"

"I knew that meant you would be dead. I thought you were dead." The stoney expression was still present on his face.

"Well," I held my hands up and smiled. "I'm alive."

His expression didn't waver. "Rebekah called again and told me that Nik was not dead and I came here as fast as I could."

I breathed out and ran my fingers along my thigh. His eyes were boring into mine. The look he was giving me was making me nervous. He opened his mouth to speak again.

"I came for you, Lorena, not Nik, for you."

I breathed in sharply. Then his expression finally changed. His mouth fell open like he wanted to say something and he blinked many times. He looked like he was going to cry, and that scared me.

I took a couple steps forward and hesitantly put my hands on the sides of his face.

"I thought you were dead." He said.

I slowly wrapped my arms around his upper body and rested my head on his shoulder.

"I'm not dead, Kol. I'm very alive." I assured him.

His arms finally wrapped around me. I was so sure that we would meld together. We were so close, there was no way we could pull away from each other. Somehow we did, but only ever so slightly. Our noses were touching and our breaths we mixing and we were so close. My eyes were glued to his and I tried to close my mouth. If I didn't I knew what would happen. It happened anyway. Our lips touched softly for a second and then they were moving quickly and eagerly against each other.

It felt incredible to kiss him again. I had been waiting almost a decade (even if I didn't know it) for him to kiss me or be with me in anyway.

His hands gripped my butt and lifted me onto him. My legs wrapped around his waist and we slammed into the wall. Our bodies were pressed against each other and I couldn't breathe. I pulled away from the kiss to get some air and Kol started kissing my neck. With his lips on my neck and every inch of his body pressed against mine, the moans were slipping out.

"Kol." I sighed and gripped his hair to pull him away from my neck. I brought our lips together again. Kol pushed us off the wall and onto the bed in record time. His body hovered over mine and kissed my neck. I struggled to take off his jacket. I groaned when I couldn't do it.

"Kol."

He pulled away and took off his jacket and his shirt. His body came back on mine again as he kissed me. was so distracted I forgot that Damon was in the house.

"Damon is-Damon's in the-" I tried to say that Damon was in the house. Kol ignored me and tried to take my dress off. I was trying to make it hard for him to show him to stop. I wanted it. I wanted it very badly, but not with Damon in the house.

Kol growled and pulled back from me. He gripped the neckline of my beautiful, white dress and ripped it apart. The dress turned into a vest. I gasped at the sudden tearing. Before I had time to say anything, his mouth was back on mine. I didn't try to stop him that time. My hands were all over his back and his hands were any where on my body. They started at my upper body and made their way down. When his hands reached the tops of my panties-

"Lorena!" I heard Damon yell from downstairs. "What the hell are you doing?"

Kol was gone and I was laying breathlessly on the bed in my underwear. I sped to my door and held the handle as I heard Damon's footsteps come closer.

"Don't come in, Damon. I-I'm getting changed."

Damon jiggled the door knob. "I heard someone in your room."

I sighed and grabbed my robe to put it on. After I put it on, I opened the door. Damon stood with his hands over his chest. He looked like a father about to scold his child.

"Who was in your room?"

"No one." I crossed my arms too.

"Look, Lorena." He leaned against the doorway. "I heard things I didn't need to hear and all I'm going to say is that you can have boys in your room but please," He put his hands together. "Please do that when I am not home." He begged.

I smiled at his uncomfortable demeanour. "You got it." I tried to close the door but his foot stopped me.

His eyes narrowed. "So, you admit that there was a boy in your room?"

I sighed. "Yes, Damon, there was a boy in my room."

"What boy?"

"Does it matter?" I asked. "Why are you being like this?"

Then I realized. He grew up with me as a child. I was just ten, now I looked seventeen and the boy territory was something we never got into depth about. But we did touch it a bit...

_Damon crossed his arms against his chest. "So, the Lockwood boy?"_

_I continued painting and didn't look at him. "His name is Owen."_

_"Yes, whatever. Does he like you?"_

_I blushed. "That is none of your concern, Damon."_

_He touched my shoulder. "It is most definitely my concern, Lorena."_

_I sighed. "I do not know, Damon. I hope so."_

_"Hm." Damon turned away. "I will have to do something about that."_

_"Damon!" I yelled after him. He laughed as I chased him around the yard._

I smiled at the memory. "It was Owen Lockwood." I teased.

Damon uncrossed his arms and shoved my shoulder. "Shut up."

I laughed. "Seriously, Damon, don't worry about it, ok? I doubt it will happen again."

He looked at me through narrowed eyes for a moment before waving his hand and walking away. I laughed and closed my door. I laid on my bed and waited for Stefan to come home.

* * *

><p>Stefan took his time with Elena, and I let him. I didn't want to interrupt anything. I couldn't imagine the hell they were both going through.<p>

Stefan took his sweet time as in, staying out all night with Elena. I told Damon not to call him or disturb him. I would let Stefan see me whenever he wanted to see me. And that turned out to be now because I could hear him going to his room.

I was standing in his doorway, watching his packing things into a bag.

"Going somewhere?" I smiled. He whipped around at my voice.

"Lorena?"

I smirked. "The one and only."

His body crashed into mine as he laughed loudly. He pulled back and grabbed the sides of my face. "You're alive!" He shouted. He laughed again, picked me up and spun me around. "You're alive!"

I laughed too. "I'm alive!"


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 4- _Memorial._

* * *

><p>Chapter 28: A Real Person.<p>

Stefan was took Elena hunting. He thought that if he could get Elena on the bunny-diet right off the bat, blood wouldn't be a problem. Damon and I disagreed. She can't control the blood lust if she's never experienced it before. Of course Damon was more aggressive getting his point across.

Damon and I were at the bar. Damon was drinking and I playing darts. Everything was as boring as ever until Sheriff Forbes was talking to Damon. She put a newspaper down in front of him and Damon picked it up, reading it.

"'Faulty gas line leads to a tragic explosion at Young Farm'. Really?"

"Better than 'Town council blow up, police have no suspects'. Unless the perpetrators right next to me."

The dart I threw missed. Was she really going to accuse Damon of blowing up a house with people in it?

"Well, don't look at me." Damon said. "I always take credit for killing people."

I laughed, but the Sheriffs gaze stayed strong. Damon dropped his drink of the counter.

"Seriously, stop looking at me like that, Liz. If I was going to kill people, I wouldn't blow them up. I'd have a dinner party."

I rolled my eyes and walked over to them. I grabbed Damon's drink from his hands and drank what was left.

Sheriff Forbes wasn't very impressed, but she let it slide. "The explosion was sparked from the inside. This wasn't an accident."

"You say that like it's a bad thing. The council's dead, Liz. I see that as a win." Damon said.

I nudged Damon's shoulder. "Don't be a dick." I mumbled to him.

"I've know some of the council since I was a kid. They were my friends. "

I felt bad for her, Damon didn't.

"Well, your friends tried to kill your daughter." Damon gave side eye to an attractive guy walking to us. "Who's the new guy?"

He was dark, tall, and handsome. "Excuse me Sheriff. Hi. I was wondering if I could speak to you for a minute. It's about the explosion at the Young Farm."

Sheriff shook her head. "I'm sorry, Mister..."

"Oh, Connor Jordan." He held out his hand to shake. He was wearing a black glove thing. What was that? Sheriff didn't seem to notice.

"Are you with the insurance investigators?"

"No, no." Connor said. "I'm more of an independent contractor." He looked at Damon and I. We both smiled sarcastically. Connor turned back to the Sheriff. "Can we speak in private?"

"Sure."

Damon turned in his seat. "Nice to meet you too, Mister, Busybody guy."

I laughed and twirled his drink in my hands. "I got a weird vibe from the guy, Damon."

Damon grabbed his drink back from me. "It's probably nothing."

* * *

><p>After Damon called Stefan, Elena showed up not too long after that.<p>

"Did you set off the explosion that killed the town council?" She accused.

"Am I wearing my 'I blew up the council' t-shirt? Why does everybody keep asking me that?"

I laughed, Elena didn't.

"Did you?"

"No." Damon replied. "Anything else?"

"Yes. Somethings wrong."

Damon and I looked at her with curious eyes.

"I can't keep any of the animal blood down." She whispered.

"Well, there's a shock." Damon said sarcastically.

"I think I need your help."

"Of course you do. Pick your meal." Damon gestured to the people in the bar. "You got Asian fusion, Mexican, what about some good old American comfort food?"

"No. No human blood. Stefan's right, I have to at least try to get through this without hurting anyone."

I rolled my eyes. Damon grabbed her wrist and walked away. When they came back out, Elena left and Damon sat back down. I narrowed my eyes.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing." He smirked.

"Damon." I said, warningly.

"I just-" He gestured with his hands. "Gave her my blood."

Blood sharing was incredibly personal and intimate between vampires. It was kind of sexual too. It's said that blood sharing should only be something you do with your true love and no one else.

_I moaned as Kol drunk from my neck. Blood sharing, it was something we did all the time._

_He pulled away and kiss my lips. I smiled and sunk my teeth into his neck. __His blood was...too good. I loved him and blood sharing was one of the ways we really showed it._

I punched his shoulder. "Blood sharing, Damon? Really? Stefan's not going to be happy about that."

"Whatever." He mumbled.

I sighed. Damon was being weird. I knew it was because of Alaric. Alaric was a really good friend to him and he lost him.

I picked up my coat and patted his back. "I'll see you at home, ok?"

He nodded and I left the Mystic Grill.

* * *

><p>Next day was the memorial for all the dead council members.<p>

Stefan gave us the news of Connor going to Tyler's house and shooting him with specially carved, wooden, weird cryptic writings on them, possibly spelled, bullets. That means he's a vampire hunter, so that's just great. Also Elena can't keep anyone blood down except for Damon's, so that's even better.

I was sitting between Stefan and Damon, who were sitting a couple rows behind Elena, keeping a watchful eye on Elena. Elena was up at the podium, saying a couple graceful words about Pastor Young.

"She doesn't look so good." Damon said. He was right. Elena looked like crap.

"Maybe you should've told me she was rejecting all food sources." Stefan didn't sound happy.

"Jealousy's beneath you, brother."

"Oh, bite me."

I elbowed both of them. "Cut it out."

Everything was going fine until Elena started stuttering and breathing heavily. I stuck my nose in the air and smelt it, the blood. I nudged Stefan.

"Do something."

Stefan ran up and got Elena. He brought her back to her seat. We all stood to join together in song. We were all quietly arguing about what to do. Damon decided he was going to kill the hunter until Matt offered up a solution. He offered for Elena to drink from him.

"Not just a pretty face." I teased Damon.

Damon rolled his eyes and we watched Elena feed, then successfully pull away. Then Tyler went up to the stand and it was my turn to roll my eyes.

"What does that idiot think he's doing?"

Tyler went on to say something about being a team (cliche) and then he was shot. Ya, not surprised. People were screaming and running. Stefan, Elena, and Caroline all rushed to Tyler's aid. Damon ran to kill the hunter and he told me to make sure Elena was going to be ok.

"What?" I spat. "No, I'm going with you."

"Lorena." He grabbed my shoulders. "Go make sure Elena is ok."

When I ran back down the where Tyler was shot, Elena was no where in sight. Caroline was knelt beside Tyler, but that was all.

"Where is Elena?" I asked.

"I don't know." Caroline shook her head. I groaned and looked around. I didn't care enough about Elena, I needed to make sure Damon was ok. I ran outside and saw him laying on the ground, blood seeping through his clothes.

I ran toward him, and so did Stefan. We got there just in time to see Connor speeding off in his truck. Stefan put on a hand out for Damon. He took it and Stefan pulled him up enough to punch him in the face and let him fall back on the ground.

"Stefan!" I shoved him.

Damon groaned. "What the hell was that for?"

"You know what." Stefan walked away. I knelt down beside Damon and pulled out the bullets. Once I was done, I helped Damon up.

"Where's Elena?"

I shrugged my shoulders. Damon rolled his eyes and sped off into the church. I went home. I couldn't deal with that anymore.

* * *

><p>I was sitting at home until Stefan told me that I had to come with him and Elena.<p>

He took us to the school. Caroline, Matt, Bonnie, Jeremy, Elena, Stefan, Damon, and I were all gathered on the benches. Stefan thought we should have a funeral, let ourselves grieve the people we've lost. Lighting lanterns and throwing them into the sky, how poetic and stupid. Damon thought so too. There was a hunter out there and we were sitting here doing this dumb stuff. We were going to die.

Stefan lit the lantern. "This is for my uncle Zach, my friend Lexi, for Alaric." He handed the lighter to Matt.

"This is for Vickie." He passed the lighter to Caroline.

"This is for my dad, and Tyler's." She passed it to Jeremy.

"This is for our parents, for Vickie, Anna, Jenna, and Alaric." Jeremy tried to give it to Damon.

"No way. I'm not doing that." He walked away and everyone turned to me. I sighed and shrugged my shoulders. I gave Stefan a look and he nodded. I ran after Damon. I followed him all the way to the graveyard. He was sat beside Alaric's headstone, drinking. I leaned against a tree and listened from a distance.

"Japanese lantern is a symbol of letting go of the past. Well, here's a newsflash-we're not Japanese." He took a drink. "You know what they are? Children. Like lighting a candle's going to make everything ok, or even saying a prayer, or pretending Elena is not going to end up like the rest of us murderous vampires; Stupid, delusional, exasperating little children. I know what you're going to say. It makes them feel better, Damon. So what? For how long? A minute? A day? What difference does it make?" He stood up. "Because in the end, when you lose somebody, every candle, every prayer is not going to make up for the fact that the only thing you have left is a hole in your life where that somebody you cared about used to be." He looked at Alaric's headstone. "And a rock, with a birthday carved into it that I'm pretty sure is wrong."

I laughed with tears in my eyes. Damon was hurting so badly and everyone wrote him off just because he doesn't show it.

Damon sat down again. "So, thanks, friend. Thanks for leaving me here to baby-sit, because I should be long gone by now. I didn't get the girl, remember? I'm just stuck here, fighting with my brother and taking care of the kids. You owe me big." He took one last drink and set the bottle down on the stone. He patted it and walked away. His eyes flickered up to see me.

"How long were you-"

"The whole time, Damon."

He sighed heavily and put an arm around me as we walked back to the house.

"I'm sorry that bad things happen to good people, Damon."

"I'm not a good person, Lorena. You're a good person. I'm a bad person."

I chuckled. "You're not a bad person, Damon. We all have that darkness inside of us. The parts of us that wants things we can't have or does things we shouldn't do. Maybe you act on yours more than others, but I don't think that makes you a bad person. I think that makes you a real person."

He shook his head and smiled. "Shut up, Lorena."


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 4- _The Rager & The Five._

* * *

><p>Chapter 29: The Cure.<p>

Damon was off the kill the hunter. Stefan and Elena were at school. According to Stefan's lunchtime phone call, Klaus and Rebekah were back.

I was at the house, bored out of my mind. I wasn't enrolled in school and no one made me, so I was home free. I decided to call Damon, see if he was done with the hunter.

"Hey." I yelled when he picked up. "You done yet?"

_"Uh..not quite."_

"What do you-" I heard him groan and a female voice telling him something. "What the hell did you do now?"

_"I got myself in a sticky situation. Listen, sister, I have arrows inside of me that will blow me up if I move, so I got to go."_

"Damon, wai-" He hung up. I leaned back on my bed and sighed. What was a girl to do? I picked up my book and started reading.

* * *

><p>After school, Elena dropped by and tried to get the white oak stake. She's channeling all of her emotions into one: Rage. Rage to kill Rebekah apparently. I wasn't too worried. There was no way Elena could kill Rebekah.<p>

Speaking of Rebekah, she was throwing a party at her new house. And it was epic.

I looked around. There were teenagers everywhere, drinking or playing beer pong or doing keg stands. Rebekah was a bitch, but she was a bitch who knew how to party.

"You look good." Rebekah surprised me.

"So do you." I said.

"Enjoying the party?" She smiled.

"Of course." I tipped my glass to her and took a drink of it.

"Good." She patted my shoulder and walked away. I didn't know where Rebekah and I stood for the time being. I would't kill her, but I don't know if would've stopped someone else from killing her. When it all came down to it...I didn't know what I'd do.

I grabbed Rebekah's arm. "Wait. I have a question."

She turned around slowly. "Ok."

"Did your brother...ever..." I struggled to find the right words. She raised her eyebrows.

"Which one?"

"Did Kol ever-"

She laughed loudly. "Did Kol ever mention anything about your love affair in the 1900's? Of course he did."

"To who? Just you?" I asked eagerly.

"Kol's a bragger, Lorena. Everyone in my family knows."

I put my hand in my face. "Oh god."

She put her hand on my shoulder. "I won't say anything to your brothers." She took her hand off and started to walk away. "But I can't say anything for Nik."

* * *

><p>It took me about five minutes to realize that Stefan and Elena had bailed.<p>

Well, might as well have some of my own fun.

I was doing keg stands and dancing and having fun. I was currently dancing with...Brian, no...Brennan or Brendan or Brandon or-doesn't matter. I was dancing and having fun.

My back was against his chest and his hands were everywhere. When I spun around, I was very surprised to see Kol. I didn't think twice before smashing my lips on his. After standing there and making out for far too long, I lead him into the house and upstairs. I went into a room, I didn't see a bed, but hey, who needs a bed?

I grabbed his face and kissed him feverishly. I ran my hands under his shirt. Something wasn't right. I stopped kissing Kol, and opened my eyes. It wasn't even Kol. It was that guy, Brennan/Brendan/Brandon. I pushed him away and wiped my mouth.

"Get out of here." I told him. I was disgusted with myself. I looked around and saw a mirror. When I looked into the mirror, I was horrified of what I saw.

Red veins were appearing and disappearing underneath my skin. I immediately took out my phone and called Damon. No answer. I called Stefan.

"Stefan! Something is happening to me." I yelled in panic. "I'm hallucinating and my skin-my skin is-"

"Come home now, Lorena." He demanded. "You have werewolf venom in your system. It's the hunter."

I sped to my car and drove home as fast as I could.

* * *

><p>Klaus came, surprisingly. He healed Elena, claiming that she could be of use to him. When he walked over to me, chuckling.<p>

"I could let you die, Lorena."

I rolled my eyes with the energy I had left.

"But I know that my brother wouldn't be very happy with me, so-" He bit into his wrist. My eyes flickered to Stefan for a moment, who looked very confused. "Drink." Klaus put his wrist to my mouth and I drank it thankfully.

He left after that and Stefan wasted no time questioning me.

"He just has a crush on me." I told him.

"A big enough crush to be upset if you died?" He asked.

"Oh, don't-You know what? We can talk about this some other time. Where is Damon?" I sped off to my room. I didn't want to talk about it. I never wanted to talk about it.

* * *

><p>Everyday there is bigger news than the next.<p>

The hunter is 'one of the five' (whatever the hell that means), Damon's plan to kill him actually didn't work and the hunter is still alive, and Damon was teaching Elena to feed the right way.

Damon was at Whitmore College with Bonnie and Elena. Some professor who knows Bonnie, invited her. Damon thought that would be the perfect opportunity.

I was with Stefan at Klaus's house. We wanted to see Klaus. Stefan had the annoying itch to know what 'the five' was.

We were in a separate room while Connor the vampire hunter was chained up against some medieval torture contraption in another room.

"Who is that guy?" I asked.

"What's the five?" Stefan asked.

Klaus looked at us. "So many questions."

Stefan looked at me and I smirked. We both fell onto the couch.

"It's a good thing we have nothing to do today except get answers from you." Stefan said.

"Fine." Klaus gave in. "You might actually be useful in persuading my sister to cooperate." He stepped closer to us. "The brotherhood of the five was a group of highly skilled vampire hunters. We crossed paths with them in the twelfth century. Italy. My siblings and I had followed the Normans as they conquered the South. Feeding, torturing people as we went. But with the bloodshed came exposure." He told us about the little shows the hunters put on, killing vampires in front of people. He told us about Rebekah's flirtations too.

"So these hunters have been around for 900 years?" I asked.

"Apparently. Though our friend in the other room is the first I've seen since then. Kind of makes you wonder what they've been up to all these years."

"And Rebekah had a thing with one of them?"

"Oh, she didn't just have a thing. She fell in love with him. He told her all his secrets, which I will gladly share with the both of you...provided you do one thing for me."

Stefan leaned forward. "And what's that?"

"Get Rebekah over here. She's being stubborn and hateful. I need to make peace with her." He stood up. "I want her to give me some very important information the hunter, which she won't do unless she believes we've made up."

"And-" Stefan stood too. "What's in it for us?"

"Just get her here and I'll tell you." He started to walk away. "Oh, and Stefan, trust me when I say this-that hunter in there holds the answers to all your prayers."

* * *

><p>On the way to the Mystic Grill, I felt like I had to tell Stefan.<p>

"Stefan, I need to tell you something."

"Ok, what is it?" He didn't take his eyes off the road

"I knew the Mikaelson's. All of them...except for Finn."

"What?" He looked my in the eyes.

"I met them when I was turned. Nicholas was Klaus's right hand man, Stefan, he was always around. Elijah and Rebekah were with him and I spent a lot of time with them."

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you tell Damon, or anyone?"

I sighed. "I did tell Damon. I'm sorry, Stefan."

Stefan thought for a while. "It's fine."

"Really? You're cool with it?"

"Are you on our side?"

I scoffed. "Of course I am, Stefan. Don't be an idiot."

"Then, yeah," He smiled. "I'm cool with it."

I sighed happily and we were silent for a couple minutes.

"But...that doesn't explain Kol."

I groaned. "That's another story for another time, Stefan."

We arrived at the Grill not too long after that. We went straight to Rebekah and told her everything about Klaus wanting to persuade her to fake peace so she would tell us about the five. She didn't seem surprised until we offered her a clean slate. I told her that I'd put everything behind us and we could start fresh. Stefan even threw in that he would talk to Matt for her. Rebekah was pleased.

* * *

><p>When Rebekah saw Connor, she wasn't pleased.<p>

"Is this a trick? Where's his bloody tattoo?"

"Oh, that tattoo's aren't visible on this lot like they were on the last." Klaus quickly explained. "Let's eat." He walked past us and into the dining room. We all followed and sat down. Food was already coming for all of us.

After Klaus (kind of) apologized and Rebekah said she'd take it under consideration, we got down to business.

"Why don't you tell me about Rebekah's hunter?" Stefan said impatiently.

"Right. Alexander. Nice chap, forgoing the obvious issues. He was looking for creatures of the night, which is why we felt quite safe around him wearing our daylight rings." He continued to tell us about some weapon that no vampire could survive.

"That's what this is about? A weapon?" Stefan asked.

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "Not just any weapon."

Klaus leaned forward. "Rebekah, love, don't get ahead of the story."

I shook my head. "How is a weapon the answer to all Stefan's prayers?"

Silence from Rebekah and Klaus.

"Ok, why don't we just skip with the theatrics and get right to the point?" Stefan said.

"Not quite yet. Because in order to find this weapon, we need to solve the puzzle, which seems to have disappeared."

"What puzzle?"

I thought about it. "The tattoo." I looked at Klaus. "What is it?"

"A map." He said. "Leading us to its treasure."

"Fat lot of good a tattoo's going to do if we can't see it." Rebekah spoke up.

"We can't, but someone else can." Klaus turned to the girl standing off by the sidelines. "Why don't you bring him in, love?" He turned back to us. "You see the hunter was so eager to get to the bottom of his mystery tattoo that he mentioned there was only one other person who could see them."

Jeremy was brought into the room. Stefan sped to him, but Klaus beat him.

"I wouldn't. Lucky for us, young Jeremy here is a bit of an artist."

"I'm not helping you with anything." Jeremy tried. Klaus sped and took his ring off.

"I'm afraid you are." He held the ring up.

* * *

><p>We were sitting impatiently as Jeremy took his time drawing the tattoo. Klaus told us how to translate the map on the tattoo, you needed the sword. He also told us that all the hunters daggered the Mikaelson family. But because the daggers didn't work on Klaus because of his werewolf side, Klaus stayed alive and well...killed them all. And then Klaus told us that the hunter told Rebekah what the tattoo leads to.<p>

"A cure." She said. "He said there was a cure."

My eyes widened. A cure? A cure for vampirism?

Klaus got up and Stefan followed.

"There is no cure for vampirism." Stefan said, stubbornly.

Rebekah got up to follow. "I'm telling the truth, Stefan."

"Then why wouldn't you have searched for it, found it?" Stefan yelled.

Klaus poured himself a drink. "Because when the hunters drew their final breath that night, the marks disappeared from their body. The map was gone, the brotherhood of the five extinct. For 900 years, there was not a whisper of another hunter until our friend in there showed up in town."

"Well, now we have the map, what do we do next?" Rebekah asked.

"We don't do anything." Klaus said. "You can't be trusted, little sister. You'll be blabbing this secret to the first boy who calls you pretty. I mean, it's pathetic, really, isn't it?" He laughed and looked at Stefan and I. "How she continues to hand her heart to any man who shows her a hint of affection. You think she would've learned by now from the endless cycle of disappointment and deception!"

"But I haven't!" Rebekah yelled back. "Instead I stay with you and let you leech every moment of happiness from my life. You know, at least I faired better than Finn." She directed toward Stefan and I. "Klaus left him daggered because he was tired of his judgement."

"No, Finn was a dullard." Klaus defended. "He's more interesting lying in a box." He walked to stand in front of Rebekah.

"You want to cure for Elena, don't you?" She accused. "So you can go back to mass producing your hybrids. That's why you brought Stefan in, 'cause you knew he'd help you even though he hates your guts. You know what, you can shove your cure." She walked out.

Klaus turned to us with a smile on his face. Stefan awkwardly stepped forward.

"Well, I hope you got what you wanted out of her before you chased her off."

"She never would have told me what I needed to know." He looked at me. "But she'll tell you."

"No." I held my hands up. "Absolutely not. Stefan will do it." I offered up another solution. Stefan sighed.

"What do you need me to find out?"

"The map is useless without the tool to decipher it."

Stefan nodded. "The sword."

"She knows where it is. And you're going to get her to tell you." Klaus told him. "You have a chance to save Elena from the very thing that's going to destroy her. You can call it a deal with the devil if you'd like. But you know you won't walk away from it."

* * *

><p>Stefan I went home. I stayed locked up in room room as Stefan talked to Rebekah downstairs.<p>

He gave her lots of attention and pity, everything she needed to spill. She confessed that they were going to be married at a church, San Vittore in Brienno. Then later she confessed that she buried his dead body in the place that they were to be married. Of course she would bury his sword with him, so when she mentioned that, bingo. Then Klaus daggered her so she wouldn't cause any problems. I heard Klaus tell Stefan that we couldn't tell anyone. Not Damon, not Elena, no one.

I sighed and stopped listening to their conversation. I dug my face into my pillow and fell asleep.


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 4- _The Killer & We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes._

* * *

><p>Chapter 30: Idiot.<p>

Connor escaped, so Stefan was off to catch him, and Damon...I had no idea where Damon was.

I was sitting at home, reading. Or I was until I got a call from Damon, telling me that the hunter was at the grill with hostages inside and they would all die by sundown. Then I was at Tyler's house trying to figure out a plan to save them. Stefan stalled and said that he needed time to figure a good plan. I was the only one who knew that Stefan really wanted to keep Connor alive for Klaus, so he could find the cure.

I tried to be on Damon's side but Klaus knew I knew about the cure and if I let Damon kill Connor, I would be in for a world of hurt.

Stefan needed Klaus's hybrids to go along with his plan, so he called him up and told Klaus about everything that was happening.

Stefan and I listened to the inside of the grill and found out there were three hostages. Jeremy, Matt, and April Young. After Stefan called Elena to tell her that, we went back to Alaric's apartment where Damon and Elena were. Damon found a tunnel map of underground tunnels. That way we could get into the Mystic Grill undetected. Stefan told him the plan. One of Klaus's men would take the front and they would take the tunnels, because the hybrids were immune to werewolf venom.

Everything was fine and then Damon started asking questions about how Stefan about how he had werewolf venom and why Klaus was involved. I bit my tongue and Stefan shooed his questions with vague answers.

Then Damon decided 'screw this' and that he would kill Connor himself. That resulted in Stefan stabbing Damon with a tranquilizer to put him to sleep. Stefan convinced Elena to just stay put.

Stefan and I were walking through the woods. Stefan hadn't told me anything about his personal plan. I followed him around all day and he didn't tell me anything. He was on the phone with Connor.

"I want you to free the hostages."

_"I'll free them. As soon as you give me what I want-you and everyone like you dead."_

"What, so your hunters mark can grow? Yeah, I know all about that, what it means, what your are. Listen, you free the hostages and you and I can have a little chat. Maybe I can even tell you about the brotherhood of the five."

That was Stefan's plan? Talk to him?

_"That's a weak move. You must be desperate."_

"Think about it, Connor. Klaus saved your life, he needs you alive. Aren't you the least bit curious why?"

Connor hung up the phone. Stefan stuffed the phone angrily in his pocket.

"That's your plan?" I said, unbelievingly.

"No." He said. "I'm going to go through the tunnels and get his hostages. Klaus's hybrid is the one who will get Connor out alive." He sighed and turned to me. "I need you to go home, Lorena."

"Fine." I gave in easily. If I had the choice, I didn't want to be a part of any of this.

* * *

><p>Stefan called. He escaped with Connor, but Elena and Damon knew that Stefan was hiding something. With Damon threatening his life, Stefan told Damon. And then oops, Elena killed the hunter.<p>

When they all came home, it was quiet and sad. Elena was angry and upset. Stefan and Damon were mad at each other because of the secrets. I already told Damon I was sorry and he forgave me.

I sat on Stefan's bed as Damon read through Stefan's diary/journal. Stefan came in the room.

"Is that my journal?" He walked over and grabbed it from Damon.

"Had to got through six locks to get it." Damon said. "Needed something to back up your insanity. Did you figure out how to tell Klaus you lost a hunter and a hybrid?"

"He's on a plane." Stefan said, as he put away his journal. "Which means I get to live for another six hours."

"You know we have your back." I jumped into the conversation. "You know, when he comes to murder you."

"Thanks." He looked at me and then at Damon. "Thanks for not saying anything to Elena."

"About what?" Damon asked. "A cure that we don't have, can't find, probably doesn't exist? You're welcome."

"She doesn't need to know that she killed her chance of being human again."

"Alleged chance."

"I believe him, Damon." I said. "You weren't there, you didn't hear the story. "

Stefan poured himself a drink. "I believed every word he said."

Damon stood up. "Well, I'll remain a sceptic for now. So, what's your next move?"

"He said there was a brotherhood of the five. Which means there are other hunters out there and I'm just going to keep looking until I find one."

"Sure, Stefan, since you asked, I'd be happy to go on a suicide mission with you for a potentially non-existent cure. Not a problem." Damon said sarcastically.

Stefan chuckled. "Yet a couple hours ago, you were ready to rip my heart out."

"Because you were being a pain in the ass." Damon came back. "I just need one thing-why do you want to cure her?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"A legitimate one." Damon said. "You want to cure her because she's a vampire and she's not cut out to be, or you can't love her if she is one?"

Stefan shook his head slightly. "I'll always love her. But she's not supposed to be this person. I don't want her to be."

Damon nodded. "Well, if I'm going to ride this fairytale to it's conclusion, let me be clear about one thing."

"What's that?" Stefan asked, though he didn't sound curious in the least.

"I'm fine with her either way, brother. So if we do this, we're doing this for you." Damon finished his drink and walked out.

I nodded at Damon's retreating figure and stood up.

"You know I'd do anything for your happiness, Stefan. So if you want the cure for Elena, I'll help you."

"Thank you." He said genuinely. I gave his shoulder and loving pat and went to my own bedroom to sleep.

* * *

><p>Elena stabbed Jeremy in the neck because she was hallucinating and now we (Stefan, Damon and I) were trying to figure out why she was hallucinating. I swear we never caught a break.<p>

I was stuck at Gilbert's, sitting on the couch playing games on my phone. Damon was washing off the blood around the kitchen.

"Where'd Jeremy go?" He asked Stefan.

"School. Bonnie has him volunteering for some occult exhibit."

I shook my head. "Or maybe he didn't want to be around Elena, who just stabbed him in the neck."

Stefan's phone rang. "It's Klaus."

"Uh oh." Damon teased. "Time to face the music, pay the piper, dance with the devil."

"You know, I'm glad you find this amusing, but if he finds out I told you about the cure, he'll kill both of us."

"Quit avoiding him." I offered.

"You're being shady." Damon added. "Shady people get outed."

Stefan finally picked up the phone and told Klaus he didn't want to talk about it. Obviously Klaus was mad, but he told Stefan they'd just find another hunter. When he mentioned the hallucinations, all attention was on the phone call, Klaus told Stefan he would tell him and that he was already here. Stefan stepped outside with Klaus while Damon and I listened intently from inside.

Apparently when you kill a hunter, the hunter haunts you and torments you until you feel the need to kill yourself. While all that was happening, Elena came downstairs, yelled nonsense and then ran out of the house, where Klaus easily captured her.

Idiot.


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 4- _We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes & My Brother's Keeper._

* * *

><p>Chapter 31: Left Out.<p>

While Stefan was trying to get Elena, Damon, Bonnie and I went the school to see this presentation that the weird professor had.

He was cute, dark, curly-haired, but he had this crazy look in his eyes. He was telling us a story about the first tombstone and Silas.

"...created a spell that would grant him immortality. Now legend says that Silas did the spell with the help of a lady witch who loved him, a woman named Qetsiyah."

Qetsiyah...pretty name.

"Sadly for Qetsiyah, Silas wanted to give immortality to another woman. So Qetsiyah killed her and buried Silas alive, leaving him powerless, immortal, and alone. This might actually be the origin story of hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

I laughed. Ok, he was cute and funny. But we weren't here to listen to the presentation. Damon and I needed to have a word with him.

"Now it's said that Silas wants to rise again, regain his power and wreak havoc on the world. Maybe we should be afraid. Or maybe it's a bunch of crap and that's just an old rock." He pointed the 'tombstone' on display. "Alright, listen, enjoy exploring the exhibit. I'll be around to answer any questions. Thank you for coming."

I walked off to find Damon, who I found in a empty, dark classroom. We sat and waited for Bonnie to bring Shane to us. And she did.

"Shane, these are my friends, Damon and Lorena. They're kind of experts on this stuff too." Bonnie introduced.

I really admired Bonnie. She always helped Damon and Stefan, even Elena continued to ruin her life.

"I audited your class. It's very enlightening." Damon said.

"That's right, I remember you." Shane said. "What's your specialty?"

Damon leant back in his chair. "The origin of the species."

"Oh, I think Darwin would arm wrestle you for that distinction."

I smirked. "Not that species."

Shane nodded at Damon and I. "You guys are into monster stuff. Alright, awesome."

"I was kind of hoping that you might have stumbled upon this-" Damon pulled out a the picture that Jeremy dress of Connor's mark. "At some point." He gave him the paper.

"Maybe." Shane said, as he unfolded the paper. When he saw it, he flipped it back around to us in surprise. "This is the hunters mark. Where did you get this?"

"Came to me in a dream." Damon said. I held in my laughter. "You know anything about the hunters curse?"

"Why, you got a dead hunter in the trunk of your car or something?" He asked the question jokingly.

"Metaphorically speaking." I said.

Shane exhaled and started explaining. "Legend says that if a hunter is killed by that which it hunts, then that person will be cursed to walk the earth and torment them 'till..."

"Until..." Bonnie urged for him to continue.

"Until a new hunter's awakened and their legacy is passed on. They're called 'potentials'."

Damon hummed and pulled out his phone. Shane continued to talk.

"Listen, I have a bunch of research on it, why don't I go grab it for you." He gave me the drawing.

"That'd be great, thanks." I smiled. Shane walked out of the room and Bonnie spoke up.

"How are we supposed to find a potential hunter?"

"Yeah, about that..." Damon put the phone to his ear. I knew he was phoning- "Little Gilbert, your services are needed."

Jeremy came rushing to us in record time.

"Is everything ok? Is it Elena?"

I rolled my eyes. "We found out a way to help her."

"You need to kill a vampire." Bonnie said.

"Great. Give me a stake. I'll kill Damon right now."

I laughed. Little Gilbert, what a comedian.

"Easy, Van Helsing. We'll get you one. Don't worry." Damon eased.

"Before you do this, you need to know what you're getting yourself into." Bonnie gave Jeremy all the papers Shane gave to us about the hunters mark.

Damon's phone rang and he answered it. It was Stefan, calling to inform us that he rescued Elena and then he lost her. Stefan told Damon to find her, that he would listen to her and that Stefan would find the vampire for Jeremy to kill. Fortunately for us, Caroline talked to Klaus, who made a told Stefan that he had a hybrid to offer up to Jeremy. Jeremy killed him and the mark grew and Damon successfully saved Elena. Everything was right in the world again.

And I finally got to go home and just sleep.

* * *

><p>Damon woke me up early and dragged me to the bar. We were sitting contently at the bar with three drinks. One for me, one for Damon, and one for Alaric.<p>

It was sad that Damon still wanted that; The empty seat beside him.

"Still saving a spot for Mr. Saltzman?" Matt came around.

"Hey, Matt." I greeted. Matt nodded to me.

"I'd say I'm in the market for a new drinking buddy." Damon said. "You're not qualified."

"I know that you don't like me, but I dug up some stuff about the explosion at the Young Farm that I kind of need to tell someone about."

"What is it?" I asked curiously.

"So April mentioned that her dad knew that Professor Shane guy. Which wouldn't be creepy, except he had all that info about the hunters curse. And we live in a town where, you know, anybody who knows stuff is creepy until proven otherwise."

"You're on the verge of impressing me. Drive it home." Damon said.

Matt smiled. "I got the Sheriff to dig up Pastor Young's phone records. Turns out, he made like a call a day to the same number the last month he was alive. On the day the council got blown up at the farm, he called it ten times. The office of Professor Atticus Shane."

* * *

><p>Damon and I went home after Matt's information-telling session. We caught Stefan in the hallway, walking out with a bag.<p>

"Where were you two?" Stefan asked us.

I opened my mouth the answer, but Damon beat me to it.

"Oh, ya know. Out. Where ya going?"

"Out." He said as he walked past us to the door.

"Ok, I see shady Stefan is back." Damon nudged me and I laughed. Stefan turned back with a serious expression. "Please don't tell me you're still working with Klaus." Damon said.

"You obviously haven't heard. Elena and I broke up."

"Are you ok?" I put my hand on his shoulder. Stefan didn't answer and kept his hardened gaze on Damon. My hand dropped and I looked at Damon.

"Oh." He said. "Got it. Uh, well, I'll be quick, then. So apparently if we want to find the cure, we have to find a vampire hunter who can kill enough vampires to reveal the map on the hunters mark. Now, unless we want Jeremy to go all 'Connor 2.0', I suggest we find a different hunter."

Stefan nodded "Ok. And?"

"And I was gonna ask Professor Shane, but it turns out he's shadier than you are. Matt Donovan connected him and the pastor through phone records." Damon raised his eyebrows. "Apparently the two were very chatty the day that pastor blew up the council."

"Ah. So you're gonna confront Shane, threaten him, possibly kill him-that sort of thing?"

Damon shrugged. "Ya, unless he tells me what he's up to. What do you say? Should we tag team?"

"Hey." I butted in, feeling hurt and very left out.

"You-" Damon pushed me away. "Stay out of it."

"Nah." Stefan replied to Damon. "I'd say your on your own." He started to walk away, but Damon stopped him.

"Or we could just blow it off, then go get drunk, brother-bond over tridelts if you...you know, want some quality time."

I rolled my eyes.

Stefan laughed humourlessly. "Lets not pretend like this isn't the best day of your life." He patted Damon's arm and walked out.

"You're such an asshole, Damon. You excluded me from your sibling-bonding time and then you ask Stefan if he wants to go get a drink. Of course he doesn't want to get a drink with the reason him and his girlfriend broke up." I said, as I walked past him. I made sure to bump into his shoulder harshly. "Good luck finding a new drinking buddy."

Low blow, I know. I didn't mean to say it like that. Like Alaric wouldn't want a drink with him-like anyone wouldn't want a drink with him, but I was pissed. It brought back memories that just reminded me that a sister-brother bond would be nothing compared to a brother-brother bond.

_"What is so funny?" I asked. Damon and Stefan were pushing each other around playfully and laughing at something. __I wanted in._

_"Nothing, sister." Damon waved me away. "Go away."_

_"I want to know." I protested with my hands on my small hips._

_"It is something you would not understand, Lorena." Stefan told me. "Please, leave us be."_

_I furrowed my eyebrows. "I want to laugh too."_

_"Leave us be, Lorena." Damon commanded. "It is a brotherly thing."_

_I held my nose high and stomped my foot before walking away. When I got far enough down the hall, I started crying. Damon and Stefan never included me on their jokes with each other. Times like those I wish I had a sister I could laugh with._


	32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

Episode: Season 4- _My Brother's Keeper, We'll Always Have Bourbon Street, & Come All Ye Faithful._

* * *

><p>Chapter 32: Sired.<p>

I stayed in my room and read my books. And the next day was pageant day. Yay...

Damon and Stefan were already gone.

I was standing in front of the mirror, trying to decide which dress I wanted to wear. One of them was knee-length, teal and flowed nicely. The other was also knee-length, but deep purple and tight. I decided to go with the teal. I wore nude heels and curled my hair. I looked great, I thought. But not great enough to steal the show from the contestants.

I loved the Miss Mystic pageants when I was a little girl. I was even in one when I was sixteen, before I met Nicholas, before I became a vampire, before any of this, when I was still human. Owen Lockwood was my partner of all people. We won too. That was the happiest day of my life when I was a human.

I sighed at the memories and got into my car.

* * *

><p>I was standing off to the side, listening in on Damon and Shane's conversation.<p>

"So I'm in search of another hunter."

"Hunter? With a capital 'H'? Why?"

"Same reason anyone needs a hunter-loneliness, drinking buddy, fourth for golf." Damon said and I rolled my eyes.

"I thought you said you already had a potential."

"I did, but he ended up being potentially a problem."

"There's nothing I can do to help you." Shane said.

"Hm. Well, why don't you help me with this-Why are you here? What's in your little lesson plan there, Professor?"

"You think too highly of me, Damon." Shane sighed. "I'm gonna go find the other judges."

Damon grabbed his arm in a friendly manner. "Hey, no pity votes for April Young, ok? I mean, just because her dad blew up a house with a dozen people in it doesn't mean that she should get a tiara." He smiled wickedly. "But you knew him, didn't you? Because I hear you two racked up a pretty impressive phone bill."

"If you want to know something about me, Damon, just ask."

"Ok. How did you convince the pastor to kill all those people?"

Shane smiled a little bit. "Did you just accuse me of mass murder in the middle of a high school pageant?"

Damon raised his eyebrows and smiled while Mrs. Lockwood started up the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant.

* * *

><p>I watched the pageant from afar. Seeing it up close would make me cry or rip someones head off. Still, I watched Caroline call the contestants and I watched them dance. All their hands touched against their partners.<p>

_My hand touched Owen's and I giggled. He was smiling brightly and eager to dance, being the show off that he was. _

_We walked in a circle, our hands still touching. Then his hands latched around my waist and he spun me around slowly. He was so fluid with movement and so easily perfect. I envied his confidence and his suaveness., especially when I accidentally stepped on his toe._

_"Ouch." He growled and quickly returned to a pearly smile. _

_"I'm sorry." I whispered in a panic. _

_"Just stop talking." He ordered me through his smile. _

_I curtly nodded. I used to have a big crush on Owen Lockwood. I remember as a child I would sugar-coat it, just to see Damon get angry. _

_I sighed. If only my brothers could see me now. Prancing around in a beautiful dress, makeup and hair done to perfection, in the arms of Owen Lockwood. Damon would've teased me and told me I looked too much like a girl. Stefan would've hugged me and told me I looked beautiful. _

_I missed them. I missed my brothers, even when I was in the arms of the only man I thought I would ever love or miss. That certainly goes to show that you really don't know a good thing until it is gone._

I watched until the dance ended and every commenced to eating.

I sipped my champagne and pulled out my phone. Four missed calls from Eddy. At that precise moment, I felt a hand the on the small of my back. I turned around, ready to smack someone until I saw that it was Eddy.

"Eddy." I smiled and hugged him.

"I called you five million times." He said dramatically.

"You called me four times." I pointed.

He smirked and looked out onto the pageant. He made a noise of disgust. "I always hated pageants."

I elbowed him. "Well, I didn't."

He grabbed my arm. "I came to tell you that I was in Mystic Falls. I was hoping we could get away and do something fun." He looked back at the pageant. "Much, much, more fun."

I laughed and pulled my arm away. "I'm fine here."

"Oh, c'mon Lorena. I'm staying at a hotel not far from here. Let's just go back there and have some fun."

"Wait." I looked at the stage. "I just want to see who won."

He groaned and crossed his arms against his chest.

Mrs. Lockwood grabbed everyones attention before giving the microphone to Caroline.

"This years Miss Mystic Falls is-" She opened the envelope and read it. "April Young."

I smiled and clapped. She deserved it after everything she had been through. I turned to Eddy.

"Now we can go."

* * *

><p>I laughed and spilled my drink on the floor, which only caused Eddy and I to laugh more. Then my phone rang.<p>

"Yello?"

_"Where are you?"_

"Relax, Stefan." I giggled.

_"You're drunk."_ He sighed. _"Where are you? I'm coming to get you."_

"I'm with a friend." I put my arm around Eddy. He screamed a 'Hello' and we both laughed again.

_"Who's that? Never mind. We think Elena's sired to Damon."_ He said right away, tired of my antics. I gasped in shock and got up from my chair.

"That's great!" I yelled enthusiastically.

_"No, it's not."_

"Oh, right." I sat back down. "Well, tell Damon 'good for him'. I mean 'bad for him'...I mean-"

_"Where are you, Lorena?"_ He asked sternly.

"Bye!" I yelled and hung up the phone.

* * *

><p>I woke up swiftly. Thank god vampires couldn't get hungover or I would have a huge one. My phone was ringing.<p>

"Hello?" I said groggily. I wasn't hungover, but I was tired.

_"It's confirmed. Elena's sired to Damon."_

"Shit." I patted down my hair. "Well, there must be a way to break it."

_"That's what we're going to find out._" I heard Damon say in the distance. Then I heard Stefan again. _"We're going to New Orleans. There might be a spell there."_

"Keep me posted and good luck." I hung up. I looked at Eddy. Shirtless and lying on the ground. I guess he didn't quite make it to the bed. I nudged his face with my foot. He groaned and smacked my foot away. I giggled and kicked him. He growled and snatched my foot.

"Leave me alone, Lorena."

I laughed. "Get up, Eddy. We're going for breakfast."

* * *

><p>Breakfast turned into afternoon drinks, which turned into night drinks. We were back at it, drinking at the bar. My phone started ringing again.<p>

"Hey. Did you find the spell?"

_"There is no spell."_

"Oh." I said. "I'm sorry, Stefan."

_"A vampire only bonds to their sire if they have feeling for them before they turn."_

I shook my head. "Wait, so-

_"Elena had feelings for Damon before she turned. Her feelings might not even be affected my the sire bond."_

"Oh."

Now I didn't know what to say. That news definitely hurt Stefan, but it probably made Damon happy in knowing that Elena's feeling are true.

I didn't want to say anything. If I apologized to Stefan again, I would be hurting Damon. But if I congratulated Damon, I would be hurting Stefan. In all honesty, I was happy for Damon. He watched the girl he loved love someone else for a long time. He watched her be in love with Stefan. Stefan, who got everything when it came down to the two of them. The girls, the attention, the praises, and our fathers affection. But Stefan...he lost the girl he loved to his own brother, someone who isn't supposed to betray you. He now has to watch Elena fall in love with Damon, all because of choices that he made and choices that were made for him.

_"Ya."_

"Well, I have to uh-I have to go." I hung up in an awkward spasm.

* * *

><p>In the morning, I called Damon.<p>

_"Hey."_

"Hey, Damon." I said. "How are you?"

_"Oh, I'm fantastic."_ He said sarcastically.

I sighed. "You don't have to do it."

_"Yes, I do. It's the right thing."_

I scoffed. "Doing the 'right thing' was never your thing, Damon. You don't have to set Elena free because Stefan said so."

_"But I do, Lorena. I'm keeping her trapped and..."_ I heard him sigh. _"Now I have to let her go."_

"You can be selfish, Damon. It's okay to love someone."

_"It's because I love her that I can't be selfish with her."_ He said.

"Do whatever you want, Damon. Just know that I'll always be here for you and that I will always love you."

_"I love you too, little Lorena."_

We both hung up and I sighed sadly.

"Brother troubles?" Eddy asked.

"Why does the universe make loving someone so difficult? Why is just loving someone never enough? There always has to be a catch." I groaned. I wanted my brothers to be happy more than anything.

"I don't know, Lorena." He handed me a drink. I took it and gulped it back. I slammed the drink down on the table.

"I just want them to be happy."

"I know you do." Eddy put a comforting arm around me.

* * *

><p>Damon called me later that day and told me he couldn't do it.<p>

"Uh oh." I teased. "Stefan won't be happy about that."

_"I know, I know. But she-"_

"I don't want to know what she did to make you change your mind." I said. "Look, I don't really care if you told her to go away or whatever. What I care about it yours and Stefan's relationship. Speaking of Stefan, does he know?"

_"No."_

"Well, I suggest you tell him sooner rather than later to reduce to risk of fighting."

_"Ya, ya, whatever. Hey, where are you anyway?"_

"I'm with a friend."

_"What friend?"_

"It doesn't really matter. What matters is telling Stefan-"

_"Ya, ya, I got it." _Damon groaned.

"Keep me in the loop, ok?"

_"Ok."_

* * *

><p><em>"Shane knows where to find the cure."<em>

"Awesome." I rolled my eyes. "Did you tell Stefan yet?"

_"No."_

I sighed. "Damon-"

_"I did it."_

"Are you ok?" I asked quickly.

_"I feel terrible. I feel the worst I've ever felt and I feel...I don't know."_

I looked at Eddy who gave me a nod. "I'm coming home."

_"No, you don't have to."_

"Yes, I do, Damon."

_"Don't come back. Everything that had happened is too much and you keep leaving, but you always come back and get dragged into something."_

"I leave because I need to get away, but I will always come back. You and Stefan are my family and I will always come back for you two."

_"Fine. Come back...in a couple days. Stay wherever you are a little longer and enjoy the calmness."_

"Damon-"

_"That's in order, Lorena."_ He said jokingly.

I laughed. "I'll be back by tomorrow then." I said, ignoring his order.

He fake sighed. Obviously he didn't want me to stay away that badly. "_If you insist__." _


	33. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

A/N: T+

Episode: Season 4- _After School Special & Catch Me If You Can._

* * *

><p>Chapter 33: Teams.<p>

I went back to the Salvator boarding house. I wasn't invited into Elena's cabin, and that's where Damon was, so it looked like I had the house to myself. Stefan wasn't there when I arrived.

I unpacked the few clothes I took with me and had a very long nap. I needed it.

I woke up to my phone ringing.

"Hello?"

_"Lorena, darling. I'm back from the dead. Why don't you come by the school?"_

"Rebekah." I greeted. "Why the school?"

_"I have some things I need to know."_

"You're lucky I'm bored."

* * *

><p>I was sitting at the table with Caroline, Elena, and Stefan. April went off the get something Rebekah made her get. Rebekah quizzed us on the cure and then the conversation shifted to Stefan and Elena's relationship.<p>

"So you just gave up?" She was directing the question toward Stefan about giving up looking for the cure. "I thought you'd do anything to save Elena. Even if it meant taking the cure yourself so you could grow old and die with her."

Elena looked surprised.

"Why do you look so surprised?" Rebekah asked.

Silence.

"I'm missing something. What is it?"

More silence. I couldn't take it anymore.

"They broke up."

"They broke up!"

Caroline and I said. Where she shouted it, I said it calmly.

Rebekah smiled. "Broke up? Wait, I'm confused. I thought Elena was your epic love, Stefan." She sat down and looked him in the eyes. "I asked you what happened, and you have to tell me."

"She slept with Damon."

Awkward silence until Rebekah laughed quietly and stood up. She made her way to Elena and stood too close for comfort.

"So vampire Elena is a trollop who likes bad boys, which explains why Stefan reeks of alcohol. But what it doesn't explain in why sweet, loving, innocent Elena could be so heartless to Stefan." She turned to Stefan. "How could she hurt you like that? Answer please."

"She didn't know it at the time, but she was sired to Damon."

"A sire bond. Fascinating." Rebekah sat down. "And what do you think about that, Elena?"

Elena turned to her. "I think you're sad and bored and in desperate need of a hobby."

"You're hiding something. 'Fess up." Rebekah compelled her.

"I didn't sleep with Damon because of the sire bond. I slept with Damon because I'm in love with him."

My mouth fell open. In love? I looked to Stefan and shook my head.

"C'mon, Rebekah. This has nothing to do with the cure."

She nodded at me. "You're right. Let's get back on track." She looked at Stefan. "Stefan, how do I find the cure? Unless you'd rather talk about Damon and Elena all day."

"There's a Professor. He knows where the cure is."

"Thank you. And where do I find this Professor?"

Stefan told her and she made a phone call. I didn't bother to listen in. I was getting bored again. She made another phone call to Tyler and after she hung up, someone opened the door to the library.

"Sister." Kol said.

I sat up straight in my chair. He looked as handsome as ever. He only looked a little different, with his hair slightly overgrown.

Kol's eyes roamed everybody's, ending on mine. His eyes lingered on me for a couple seconds before he spoke again. "Look at this. You're even worse than Klaus."

"Kol. Finally. Did you bring me what I asked for?"

Kol pulled out Shane from behind him and pushed him into the room. Rebekah smiled.

"You must be Shane."

Kol and Rebekah sped away with Shane while the rest of us stayed in the library, compelled. We all stayed quiet, then Rebekah came back in.

"Still glued to your seats? It's thick with tension in here." She walked over. "Lets spice things up a bit. Elena, truth or dare?"

"We're done playing your stupid games Rebekah." Stefan said. Rebekah ignored him.

"Truth or dare, Elena? You're compelled. Answer."

"Dare."

"I dare you to tell Stefan the truth about Damon."

"Seriously?" Caroline spat.

Rebekah smiled and cocked her head at Elena.

"Being with Damon makes me happy."

"Makes you happy?" Rebekah wasn't satisfied with the answer she was given. "Clowns make you happy, Elena. Dig a little deeper."

"When I'm with him...it feels unpredictable, like-like I'm free."

"And how do you feel when you're with Stefan?"

"Rebekah..." I warned. She hushed me and looked at Elena.

"Lately, I feel like I'm a project, like I'm a problem that needs to be fixed."

I guess she had a point. While Damon was loving her and telling her that he liked her the way she is, Stefan had been putting all his energy and time into the finding the cure to turn Elena human again, sort of ignoring her.

"I think I make him sad," Elena said. "And I can't be with someone like that because when he looks at me, all he sees is a broken toy."

"Do you still love Stefan?"

This was torture.

"Yes."

"Are you still in love with Stefan?"

That was worse.

"No."

Rebekah leaned upward. "Did that hurt, having someone you love drive a dagger through your heart?"

Stefan looked at her. "Go to hell."

She bent down to his level and yelled. "Did that hurt?" She paused between each word, bringing the dramatic level up a couple notches.

"Yes." Stefan said, sounding defeated.

I crossed my hands in my lap and looked at them. I would look anywhere that wasn't Stefan's sad face, or Elena's sad face, or Caroline's sad face.

"Welcome to the last 900 years of my life." Rebekah said.

The door opened suddenly to reveal Tyler, who looked panicked. Rebekah stood.

"Ah, good, you're here. It was just getting depressing."

"What the hell is going on?" Tyler asked.

"Listen to the rules carefully." She said to all of us. "Stay in the building. No vamp-running in the hallways."

"Vamp-running from what?" Caroline said all snarky-like.

Rebekah smirked and turned to Tyler. "Turn."

"What?" I said and tensed in my seat. "Rebekah, are you crazy?"

"You can't." Caroline jumped in. "He'll lose control."

"That's the whole point. I've exhausted all your knowledge. Now I have the Professor to help me find the cure, you're just competition. Whoever finds it first gets to decide what to do with it: Use it, share it, destroy it, save it. I want that to be me."

"But if I turn, I'll kill them."

"Yes," Rebekah faked solemn. "You will. Turn."

Rebekah's eyes met mine. I looked at her coldly. She walked over to me and whispered in my ear.

"The janitors door is pretty sturdy."

Then she was gone.

* * *

><p>Tyler was thrashing around and the rest of us kept a safe distance. Tyler kept saying he could fight it, but I seriously doubted that.<p>

Finally he screamed, "Get out of here!" And we all ran. Caroline and I went off in one direction, Elena and Stefan in the other. Thankfully, Tyler went the other way. Caroline and I stopped to catch our breaths.

"If you're hybrid boyfriend bites me, I swear to god, Caroline."

I ran off to the janitors closet. Before I got there, I felt arms come around my waist.

"Darling, we should be going."

And we both sped off.

* * *

><p>"What happened back there?"<p>

Kol and I went straight to his hotel room. He sat down and poured himself a drink like nothing just happened.

"What happened?" I repeated. "What happened to the Professor?"

"I killed him." Kol said simply.

I shook my head. "Why?"

"Because he wants to raise Silas. He has already completed half the sacrifices."

"Sacrifices?" I thought about it. The Young farm. Twelve council members dead. Twelve hybrids dead. Then I thought about Silas. "Silas isn't real. He's just some stupid legend."

"Oh, Silas is real, darling." He said. "And if he rises, it will be the end of us. He will bring back the dead along with him. Anyone who wants to cure is not ready to face the wrath of Silas."

I looked at his with sceptical eyes. "How do you know all this?"

"I ran with some witches a long while ago." He smiled into his glass.

I sighed and leaned against the wall. Kol's eyes darted up to mine.

"How have you been, darling?"

"Tired." I said and plopped down on the bed. Kol gave me a sideways look before setting down his glass and walking to me. He knelt down beside me and brushed some hair our of my face. His fingers lingered on my cheeks and he smirked.

"Did you miss me?"

I pushed his hand away. "Just take me back to my house."

His hand came to the side of my face and he leaned in slowly. I leaned back with all my effort. When he realized he was leaning forward and I was leaning back, he growled.

"Why the games, darling?"

"I can't do this." I said.

He opened his eyes. "Why not?"

"Because." I slipped out of the way and walked closer to the door. "You're the enemy, Kol. My brothers really want that cure, and I can already tell that you're going to do everything in your power to stop anyone from getting it." I smiled and opened the door. Kol sped to me and slammed it closed. I turned around and he kept his hand on the door above my head.

"If you want to protect your brothers, you'll want to stop them too."

"Why?" I asked eagerly. "What will Silas unleash?"

Kol put his other arm around my waist and pulled me closer. "Enough talking."

His lips crashed down on mine. I pushed myself against the door in surprise and Kol took advantage by pushing his whole body on mine. My arms wrapped around his neck and I pulled myself upward, bringing me closer to him. He cupped my legs and I wrapped them around his waist. Suddenly, my back was on the mattress and Kol was on top of me, tugging at my shirt. I broke away to take a breath.

"If you don't take that shirt off right now, I am going to rip it off."

I nodded and pulled it over my head. He quickly took his off too. His lips came down on my neck and my hands ran through his hair as I moaned. I then tried to focus on undoing his jeans and I successfully undid them. I used my arms to pull them down and as far as I could until I couldn't reach, then I used my legs. Kol kicked them them off and kissed my lips again. As he kissed me, my fingers ran through his hair, and his hands were undoing my jeans. When I tried to help him, he grabbed my wrists and held them above my head. His intense gaze was on me.

"Let me do it."

He let go of my wrists and I settled my hands on his biceps as he undid my jeans. He slid them down and threw them somewhere I was unaware of. His lips attached to mine and his pelvis grinded against me. My back arched and my nails dug into his back. Being that close to him was making me feel crazy.

His hand reached around my back and unclipped my bra. That was thrown somewhere across the room in a mere second. His chest was pressed against my breast as we kissed. The only thing stopping us now, was our underwear. Our mouths kept moving with each other when my phone rang, but that was all I could focus on.

"Kol." I said in between kisses. "My-my phone."

He ignored me and I felt his hand travel from my face, to my breasts, to the edge of my panties. But still, all I could hear was my phone ringing. I used all my strength to push Kol off of me and I grabbed my phone.

"What?" I said, quite rudely.

_"Where the hell are you?"_

"I'm fine, Stefan." I said, eyeing Kol. He was still breathing heavily. He was just waiting for me to get off the phone to jump me again. Apparently he couldn't even wait for that. Kol got on top of me again and kissed my neck roughly. I bit my lip and then spoke quickly. "What do you want?"

_"Rebekah and I formed an alliance for the cure. Are you in?"_

Kol bit into my neck and I gasped.

_"Lorena? Are you ok?"_

"I-I'm fine." I put all my efforts into not moaning. I gripped Kol's arm.

_"So, are you in?"_

"I don't know, Stefan."

Stefan sighed._ "We'll talk about it when you get home. You are coming home right now, aren't you?"_

Kol's hand started to travel back between my legs, and I started to panic. When his hand slipped underneath my panties, I couldn't do it anymore. "Yes, but I have to go." I hung up the phone and pushed Kol off of me. I sped to get dressed, knowing if I wasted a second that I would be under Kol again.

I put my jacket back on and I looked at him. He was sitting on the bed with a smirk of his face. I rolled my eyes.

"I'm leaving." I waved and started to walk out. He sped and grabbed my arm.

"Before you go, I need to ask. Are you on my side?" When I hesitated to answer, he gave me a condescending look. "Silas will be the end of us, darling."

"I'll think about it." I quickly slipped out of the room.

* * *

><p>When I walked through the door, Stefan asked me where I had been.<p>

"I was with someone."

"Who?" He asked.

"Someone." I said.

Stefan crossed his arms. "Tell me."

I crossed my arms too. "Why?"

"I need to know you're on my team. Were you with Klaus?"

"No." I dropped my arms at the ridiculous accusation. "Besides I hadn't said I wanted to be on your team yet."

"What other team are you going to be on, Lorena?" He asked sarcastically.

"Team Kol." I said quietly.

His brows furrowed. "What?"

"Team Kol." I said louder. I guess know was as good a time as any to tell my brother that I was in love with an original vampire that wanted the opposite of what he wanted.

"Why would you be on team Kol?"

"Stefan." I walked closer. I willed myself to look him in the eyes. "I'm in love with Kol."

His brows only furrowed more. "Did he compel you? Because how else-" His face sparked in recognition. "You told me you knew them already; Klaus, Rebekah, and Elijah. But you said Kol was another story. What story it that?"

I sighed. "Well, I met him in 1902..." I dove into the story, leaving out the bits no brother wanted to hear about.

Stefan's expression barely changed all the way through until the end when he sighed heavily.

"So you love him...that could be a problem."

"And I have the solution. I won't be apart of any team, ok? I won't help either one of you. I won't help Kol and I won't help you."

Stefan nodded. "Stay on the sidelines, that's smart."

I put my hand on his shoulder. "Thank you for understanding, Stefan."

Stefan nodded again. "Just trying to make it easier for you. Damon won't have the same reaction."

I sighed. "I know. And I'm dreading it, believe me."

Stefan's arms wrapped around mine. "I know you love him but please, if something happens, make the right decision."

"I'll try." I answered honestly.


	34. Chapter 34

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

A/N: Uh T+++ rating for this one or possibly M, I don't know.

Episode: Season 4- _Catch Me If You Can._

* * *

><p>Chapter 34: Sex and Struggles.<p>

I woke up to an empty house and a text from Stefan telling me that he was out with Rebekah. So, I sat in my room and read all day. I kept my phone far away to avoid getting pulled into something.

Before I knew it, it was nighttime and Kol was climbing inside my window.

"Why do you keep doing that?" I put my book down.

"I'm respecting your wishes of not telling your brothers. Wouldn't exactly make sense if I knocked on your front door, would it?"

"My brothers aren't home."

"Oh, I knew Damon wasn't, but where is that other brother of yours?"

I narrowed my eyes. "How'd you know Damon wasn't here?"

He smirked. "I had a little chat with him earlier." He took a step forward and I took one back.

"You're not touching me until you tell me what you did." I pointed.

Kol continued to smirk. "Fine. I killed all the vampires Jeremy needed to kill to grow his mark and then when little Jeremy ran off, I compelled Damon stake himself."

I opened my mouth to say something, but he hushed me.

"I promised my brother I wouldn't touch Jeremy, but that didn't mean I couldn't get someone to do it for me."

I crossed me arms against my chest. "Tell me you didn't compel Damon to kill Jeremy." He laughed and I punched his chest. "Kol!"

He grabbed my hands easily but I ripped my hands away from him. I watched him walk behind me and sit himself on my bed. I rolled my eyes and moved to get my phone. I needed to call Damon or Stefan or someone. But Kol grabbed me and sat me on his lap. My back crashed into his chest and I could feel his hot breath on my neck.

"Where do you think you're going?" He whispered in my ear.

"Kol." I warned and tried to wiggle out of his grip. "Let me go."

"You don't really want me to let go." His hand that trapped my waist moved the rest on my stomach. "Do you?" His hands guided lower and I struggled again. But I sighed when his hands slipped underneath my top. Then his hand went under my pants, which was very easy considering I was still in my pyjamas. One of my arms was slung back with my fingers in his hair and the other was gripping his arm (the one that wasn't inside my pants). When his hand slipped underneath my underwear, my head landed on his shoulder. I tried to shift myself so that he wouldn't be touching me like he was, but it was no use. I hadn't even noticed that my legs were wide open and once I did, I made the effort to close them.

I shouldn't be letting him touch me like that. Not when I hadn't told _both_ my brothers about Kol.

I broke from my thoughts when a loud moan escaped my mouth. It was like I couldn't control myself around him. I gripped his hair harder as my legs opened again. If I was going to have something to feel guilty about, I'd at least make it worth it.

Kol was kissing my neck as he continued to rub me. I was moaning and he was smiling, I could tell. His hand massaged my breast under my shirt. My fingers raked through his hair and I gripped the strands harshly.

I was very close and he could tell. He pulled his hand off of me quickly. I felt a numb tingle where my orgasm was supposed to be.

I slacked against him and breathed heavily. He pushed me off of him and made me stand up. When I stood, he turned me around and I sat on his lap again. I wrapped my arms around his neck, my knees on either side of his hips. I kissed his lips softly. I moaned into his mouth when he grabbed my hips and pushed them against his. He fell back on the bed, bringing me with him. He flipped us over and his kisses became eager. He pulled my top over my head, breaking our kiss for just a second. I tugged at the bottom of his shirt and he took it off quickly. I worked very hard to get his pants off, thankfully he noticed my struggle and removed them himself. When he was doing that, I removed my own pants. I wan't wearing a bra and the only thing that was left was our underwear.

His body was all over mine. He was kissing me everywhere. I never felt as alive as ever than in that moment.

I pulled his underwear down as much as I could with my feet, which was far enough. His hands grabbed my panties and yanked them from my body, causing them to rip and fall away from me. We were both completely naked and kissing each other with everything we had.

I gasped softly into his ear. My fingers dug into his back and his hips moved against mine. He kissed my neck and I moaned loudly.

I remembered that whenever Kol and I would have sex, that it would be all about me and making me feel good. I smiled at the thought.

I grabbed to sides of his face and smashed his lips onto mine. We kissed as both of us hummed in pleasure.

One of his arms was propped beside me, to make sure he wouldn't crush me. The other was wrapped around and across my back, bringing me every so slightly off the mattress. My arms were around him. One on his back and the other switching between his hair and his shoulder. My legs we locked behind him and encouraging every single thrust.

I felt a burning sensation deep inside of me. I moaned loudly.

"Kol." I whimpered. I gripped his hair roughly and my fingers dug into his shoulder blade. My back arched and my toes curled. "Kol."

Kol gripped the side of my hip harshly and grunted. He stopped and let go of my hip. His body lowered onto mine and I felt almost all his weight. He turned to the side, but didn't let go of me.

We both breathed heavily and looked at each other. I let a smile creep up on my face as I pushed his outgrown hair back from his face. Looking into his deep, brown eyes and I knew that I would have a hard time not loving him.

"I love you." I said.

He smiled. "I know."

I heard the door slam downstairs and sat up. Kol got up and got dressed quickly, while I got dressed even faster. I pushed him toward the window. I turned around to run downstairs. I felt Kol slap my butt and I turned around to say something, but he was already gone.

I ran downstairs to see Stefan carrying an unconscious Damon.

"What happened?"

Stefan glared at me and shook his head. I walked with him down the the basement. I watched his set Damon was the ground and start to bleed him out to weaken him. After, Stefan and I waited. It seemed like forever before Damon twitched and came through.

"Easy there, buddy." Stefan said. "You lost a lot of blood."

I watched from the doorway as Stefan walked closer to him.

"So you bled me out?" Damon groaned.

"Yeah. I didn't really have much of a choice. Kol's compulsion is still in effect, so you need to stay locked up." Stefan gave me a quick glance. "We don't have any vervain, so this was the only way I could weaken you."

"You sound real torn up about it." Damon said sarcastically. "Shouldn't we be going after Kol, make him de-compel me?"

Stefan looked at me and I shook my head. "Yeah, yeah, sure. That sounds easy enough, Damon. I'll get right on that."

Damon struggled to sit up, but he fell back. I took a step forward to help, feeling extremely guilty. Stefan shook his head.

"At least let me see Elena." Damon requested.

"Come on. You know you can't do that." Stefan said, standing up and walking to Damon. "With the sire bond, all you have to do is tell her to let you out of here. It's too risky."

"You're really enjoying this, aren't you?"

"It's better for Elena if you stay here for now, at least until we find the cure. And once she's no longer sired, and you're no longer compelled, you can both do whatever the hell you want."

Stefan walked past me and I stepped out of the way so he could close the door.

"Lorena, tell him he's crazy." Damon tried.

I shook my head sadly. "I'm sorry, Damon."

Stefan latched the door and we both walked upstairs.

"Stefan." I grabbed his shoulder.

"Don't, Lorena. What if Damon had killed Jeremy?"

"Then Jeremy would be dead." I answered coldly. I didn't like the attitude he was giving. "And Elena would devastated. I know, Stefan, I know. But the world doesn't revolve around her. It may for you, but it doesn't for me and I can't control what Kol does. So, I'm sorry that I'm not all that sorry."

"You're boyfriend compelled your brother to kill Jeremy, Lorena. Do you not realize-"

"I know what Kol did, Stefan!" I yelled. "He was only trying to protect everyone! If you get the cure, you risk raising Silas. It will be the end of us."

Stefan laughed humourlessly and shook his head. "Looks like you picked a team."

I sighed and lowered my voice. "I don't want to fight, Stefan."

"No, that ok." He said sarcastically. "I fight for someone I love and you fight for someone who is a danger to our lives."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I asked through clenched teeth.

"I mean, Kol will stop at nothing to keep us from raising Silas. Even if it means killing us; Your own family."

"He wouldn't hurt me like that. He loves me." I spat.

Stefan raised his eyebrows. "I'm sure he does."

I slapped Stefan across the face. "I stuck with you through everything Elena did! I risked my life for her all because you and Damon love her! I did that for you, not for her! Can you please support me? Not for Kol, but for me." I begged.

"Elena wasn't trying to kill you."

I slapped him again, tears pooling in my eyes. "I hate you." I sped up to my room and hid under my covers. I cried until I fell asleep.


	35. Chapter 35

Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries

A/N: Swearing in this chapter. Also, last chapter!

Episode: Season 4- _A View to a Kill._

* * *

><p>Chapter 35: Never Again.<p>

When I woke up, Stefan was gone but someone was downstairs. Stefan already texted me and told me it was Klaus. I tried to ignore him all day, but I really wanted to see Damon.

I walked to the basement. I ignored Klaus and made my way to look through the bars of the door. I rested my hand and head on one of the bars.

"Hey, Damon."

"Lorena."

Klaus smirked. "I'm surprised he's even talking to you after what Kol did to him."

I blinked a couple times. "Klaus, I haven't-"

Klaus laughed. "You haven't told Damon? Stefan knows."

"What?" Damon asked.

I gripped the bars tighter. "Nothing."

"Oh, go on, love." Klaus smiled, clearly enjoying himself. "Tell him about your relationship with my little brother."

"Relationship?" Damon spat.

"Damon." I looked him in the eyes. "It's not what you think."

"Oh, it's exactly what he thinks, love."

I glared and Klaus. I turned back to Damon when he stood up.

"What the hell is he talking about, Lorena?"

I shook my head. "I love him, Damon."

Damon looked confused. "Who?"

"Kol."

Damon rushed to the bars and gripped my hand. "What?"

"I love him. I love Kol." I winced as Damon's hand wrapped tightly around mine.

"How could you?" He snarled.

"Let me explain." I tried. "I met him in 1902. I didn't know who he was, but I fell in love with him. Damon, please-" I screamed out as I heard the bones in my finger crack under the pressure of Damon's hand. Damon ripped one of the bars off and drove in into my hand. I screamed in pain. "Damon!" I yelled in disbelief. He was not acting like himself.

I pulled the metal out of my hand and leaned against the wall. I slid down the wall with tears on my face. I heard Damon drop to the ground as well. His little show costed him all of his energy.

I looked at Klaus, who looked torn. He didn't move to comfort me or anything, but he didn't have a stupid smirk on his face.

I got off the wall and ran upstairs. I grabbed my cell phone and called Kol. I could ask him to just reverse the compulsion, I was sure.

_"Darling."_ He greeted.

"Kol. What are you doing tonight?"

"_You."_

"Kol, I'm serious."

_"I'm at Elena Gilbert's, Lorena. I'll call you back when everything is settled."_

"But, Kol-"

_"Relax, darling. I'll be with you soon."_ He hung up.

* * *

><p>I was getting antsy. Elena giving up so easily doesn't sit right with me. All the work they've put into it and to just throw it all away...it seemed set up. I wasn't sure though. Elena would do anything to keep Jeremy safe. Making a deal with Kol would be a smart move on her part. But I couldn't ignore the weird feeling in my chest. When Klaus got a phone call from Kol telling him the he was being hunted down by the Gilbert siblings, I decided to pay a visit to the Gilbert household as fast as I possibly could.<p>

I opened the door. Jeremy was spraying Kol with the water and it was burning him. It must've been laced with vervain. Elena caught my attention when she grabbed the white oat dagger from Kol's jacket. She tossed it to Jeremy.

"Jeremy! Now!"

Jeremy put down the water.

"No." I whispered. I rushed forward as fast as my legs go carry me. I stood in front of Kol. I felt a unbearable pain in my left shoulder. Jeremy had stabbed me with that stake, but Kol and I's height difference gave us the advantage. Where Kol's heart would've been, my shoulder was in the way. I ignored the pain on pure adrenalin as I ripped the stake from my shoulder and threw it across the house. I grabbed Kol's arm and sped outside. When we we far away from the Gilbert's, I fell down on my knees. Kol knelt next to be, grabbed the sides of my face and looked me in the eyes.

"You scared me, darling."

"I scared you?" I scoffed. "You were about to get staked with the only stake in the entire world that could kill you!" I breathed out. My shoulder still hurt. The affect of getting stabbed with the white oak.

"But if you had-"

"Shut up, Kol." I grabbed his face. "Just kiss me."

He kissed me urgently. I gripped onto him like I would never let go. He almost died. My heart hurt just thinking about never being able to touch him again.

We pulled back from the kiss and I hugged him tightly.

"Why would you do that to me? How could you almost die? I love you and I-" I gripped his jacket harder. "I fucking hate you."

Kol's chest vibrated against mine.

I pulled back from the hug and breathed slowly to calm myself down. Kol stayed close to me as I breathed it out. I thought about what Kol would do to Elena and Jeremy. I hated my brothers, but not enough to kill someone they love. I should though. Elena intended to kill Kol and she almost succeeded. I should kill Elena. Rage burned inside of me.

I held onto Kol as memories of us came flooding in.

_"No!" I screamed, struggling against the two vampires holding my arms. I couldn't do a thing to help the situation and before I could think of a plan, it was done. "No." I sobbed._

_"Let's go." One of the men said._

_The only support I had was the two men holding me back and when they sped away, I fell to my knees. I had managed to crawl to where Kol's body laid, despite my heavy body and uncontrollable crying._

_"No, no, no." I put my hands on either side of his greyed face. "No, no, Kol, please. Kol, please, please." I shook his shoulders. "Wake up, please."_

_Nothing. Absolutely nothing._

_I grew angry and I ripped the large wooden stake from his heart and threw it into the woods, away from us. I couldn't be angry for long as I draped myself over Kol's stomach and cried._

_I didn't know how long I was there. Could've been seconds, minutes, hours. I didn't know and it didn't matter. Everything seemed to blend together all the sudden and I was completely serene in a horribly depressing way._

_Everything changed when I felt Kol's body moved below me. At first, I though it was my paranoia or hope, me imaging it. But when it happened a second and a third time, I gasped and retreated away from the body._

_His eyes opened and I didn't know what to expect. His head turned to me._

_"Lorena."_

_I gasped and crawled forward as fast as I could, hugging him and kissing him._

_"Kol, my love! You are alive."_

_Kol sat up and pulled me into his lap, rubbing my back and telling me to stop crying._

_"I'm alive."_

_I pulled away, hastily wiping my tears. "But how? How are you alive?"_

_Kol smiled. "Well, they obviously missed, darling."_

_I shook my head and hit gripped his shoulder. "Damn you. Damn you, Kol! I thought you were dead."_

_Kol leaned forward and kissed my lips. "I am more alive than ever, Lorena."_

_..._

_I turned around in a heap of giggles _

_"You have to try and catch me."_

_Kol smiled. "Why would I do that?"_

_"Because I am running away."_

_"You'd never do such a thing."_

_I smirked. "Would I?" I turned and started running._

_I could hear Kol laugh and then his heavy footsteps coming after me._

_..._

_"Can you not see that I love you?" Kol screamed._

_"Not when your lips are on another girl, Kol." I growled._

_"You are jealous, darling. It was nothing."_

_"Nothing?" I scoffed. I did not care if it was nothing. He still did it. I did not care if it was to feed. He still did it. Rage was filling me up and keeping me going. "How would you feel if I kissed another man?"_

_Kol's eyes darkened. He stepped forward. "I would feel like someone was going to die." He took me in his arms roughly. "I will not share you with anyone."_

_"You hurt me."_

_"I am sorry, darling. I will promise to never do that again."_

_I sighed and relaxed in his arms. "Fine."_

_He kissed my cheek. "I just want you to be happy." He kissed my lips. "And maybe a little naked."_

_I giggled and kissed him again._

_..._

_I had just gotten finished talking with Eddy, telling me how terrible Kol was._

_"How was the walk, darling?"_

_"It was eventful." I smiled._

_Kol smirked and his arm went around my waist. "Now you are back."_

_I laughed and tried to push him away. "Not now, Kol."_

_He kissed my neck. For someone who was bad for me, he felt awfully good._

_I turned around and found his lips with mine. I pulled away and caressed his face._

_"Will you love me forever?"_

_"Of course." He smiled. "Forever."_

_I smiled. "Good."_

_..._

_"...And how old are you, Lorena?"_

_I smiled politely. "I am seventeen."_

_She cringed and smiled. "Oh."_

_I could tell she was judging me. I was seventeen without a husband and children. According to the whole town, I was either common whore or simply undesirable._

_"Without a husband?" She pointed._

_I sighed. "Without a husband. I am very much in love, but he does wish not married." I glanced over her shoulder at Kol, who was giving me a look._

_"What about children? Do you not want any?"_

_I hesitated. __I wanted children. I wanted to be married. I want that, but I would never have them. "No, we wish not to have children."_

_"Hm." The woman hummed in displeasure._

_I clenched my teeth at her annoying reaction. "Excuse me." I excused myself and walked away from the woman and from the party. I was almost out the door before Kol caught my arm._

_"Where do you think you are going, darling?"_

_"I wish to leave." I huffed._

_Kol laughed. "No."_

_"Kol."_

_Kol looked at me hardly, then sighed. "Where do you wish to go?"_

_I smiled. "Any where, just take me somewhere." _

"Take me somewhere." I said.

* * *

><p>Kol took me to the same place he did when he compelled me to remember us.<p>

Kol and I were sat on the grass, enjoying the view. I was sitting in front of him, in between his legs. My back was against his chest and my head was on his shoulder.I loved the feeling of him. I loved him.

We watched the stars in the sky. I almost felt human. Watching the stars was such a human thing to do. Vampires had forever to look at the stars, so there was no need. I felt a little human for a little while and I was very ok with that.

"Do you remember?" I asked.

Kol turned to me. "Remember what?"

"Turning. Do you remember it?"

"Not much, darling."

"You don't remember? You don't remember waking up and realizing-" I laughed dryly. "Realizing that you were going to stay that way forever-that you would never change. Realizing you'll never have the same emotions, same dull senses, never grow old, never change. Realizing that you were going to be the exact same for the rest of your life." I paused and waited for him to say something.

He stayed silent.

"Because I remember. I remember realizing all those things. My wishes, my dreams-gone. None of that stuff mattered to me anymore. I was changed forever with no take backs. I would be stuck with every good decision, every bad decision for the rest of my life." I sighed. "Time was supposed to pass us by. We are supposed to be scared of time and not having enough of it. But we have forever. We have all the time in the world. And I miss it. I miss being scared of the time passing me by."

Kol was silent for a long time. "Is that what you miss the most? Time?"

"No." I said. "I used to have this way I looked at the world. I used to believe in 'everything happens for a reason'. I was so young when I turned, I wasn't exposed to anything bad. I used to think that there were too many things to be happy about to be sad. I was so pure and innocent. Becoming a vampire has made me see things I should've never seen. I miss being innocent the most. I could've gone my whole human life being innocent."

"Did you want this life?"

"I never wanted this for myself. I wanted to grow old, have kids, grandkids, and die happily. I wanted it all. Now I'm stuck with this and who I am right now. I'll be this way forever. Nothing supposed to last forever, but this does, we do." I shifted against Kol and sighed. "I'm ok with it though. I miss so much about being human, but I can't say that I don't love being a vampire."

Kol's arm wrapped around me. "What do you love the most?"

I smiled. "The cravings that I'll have forever to fulfil. Not the blood, but the moments, memories, adventures, people, reactions, attention, everything. I never had the craving for adventure when I was human, now it's always on my mind. And I love knowing that I have a long time to crave those things because I can do them." I turned my head and kissed his neck softly. "I love knowing I'll have forever to live."

His arms tightened around me. We watched the night sky until I told him I wanted to leave.

"Let's leave." I said.

"Ok." Kol helped me up.

"I mean Mystic Falls, Kol."

"What?"

"Let's leave Mystic Falls. I don't want to be here anymore."

"Ok." Kol nodded and smiled. "We can leave."

* * *

><p>I knocked on the door and it opened to Stefan. Damon was near by behind him, sitting on the couch. I walked over and poured myself a drink. Then I sat down on the couch opposite of Damon and drank my drink. I didn't say anything for at least five minutes, when I put my drink down and looked at my Damon.<p>

"You're welcome." I said. "I did dagger Kol for you."

I did dagger Kol for Damon to release him of Kol's compulsion. Kol let me do it because he knew it was what I wanted. Of course I took the dagger right out.

Damon didn't thank me. He just looked at me through pointed eyes. I sighed.

"You guys are my brothers, so please-" I put my hands together desperately. "Please tell me that you didn't know about Elena's plan until it was too late."

Stefan answered first from his spot behind the couch, behind Damon. "He was a problem that needed to be dealt with. Elena had an opportunity and I let her take it."

I shook my head. I rubbed my face roughly with my hands and peered through them. "Damon?"

He was being so cold toward me. "I'm glad Elena didn't kill Kol because now I get to do it myself."

I laughed, I picked up my drink and swirled it around. I stared at the liquid in the glass. "I'm disappointed in you two."

"For what, for not taking your side?" Damon said sarcastically. "For not approving of your relationship?"

I stood and threw the glass at the wall behind them. It shattered the same time I felt my heart break into a million pieces.

"For not being my family!" I slammed my fist down on the table. It broke in half. "Family doesn't do what you did; Sit back and watch a person kill someone they love. I thought we were going to protect each other and respect each other." I calmed down slightly and my tone became sad. "I'm your little sister. How could you do this to me?"

Damon scoffed. "You're no sister to us. Not when you're boyfriend is trying to stop the only chance we have of curing Elena."

I became angry again. "Elena, Elena, Elena! It's always about Elena. You two don't even see it! She's tearing you guys apart. I know you think you know that, but you're only scratching the surface. She is ruining you and it won't stop until both of you stop loving her." I let my shoulders slump. "But that'll never happen. Everything will always be about Elena, won't it? I can't stand around and watch you two with her. I hate her for hurting both of you constantly, but I would never kill her because you guys love her. I would never be so heartless to kill someone you both love so deeply. So tell me how you could let Elena go on with her plan."

No one said anything.

"No answer? Of course not. But I'm sure if there was one, it would be 'blah blah blah to save Elena', wouldn't it?" They continued to stare at me. "So congratulations to you two for letting Elena break our family." I said. "Just give me one thing. Just say you're sorry."

Stefan opened his mouth, but I would never get to hear what he was going to say because Damon interrupted him.

"We're not sorry for protecting someone we love." He gestured to Stefan and stood up. "And _I_ am sure as hell not sorry for Kol almost dying. And if time was to turn back, I would've made sure Jeremy didn't miss."

I sped forward and punched Damon in the face.

"I was there for you!" I yelled. "I did everything you asked and everything you didn't. I loved you, supported you! I did so much for you and this is how you repay me?" I gripped Damon's neck. "I should kill you."

"You wouldn't." He struggled to breathe.

"You're right." I took my hands off of his neck. "Maybe I'll kill Elena instead."

Damon grabbed my shoulders and slammed me against the wall. I kneed him in stomach and shoved him back. I brought my arm back to hit him but he caught my wrist. He twisted it down, which cause my to lurch forward. Damon then grabbed the back of my shirt and pulled my upward again. Before he could do anything I kicked his knee, causing it to buckle. I acted quickly by speeding behind him and wrapping my arm around his neck. I pulled and tugged. I heard him struggle to breath for the second time in my grip.

"I loathe you." I whispered in his ear. I released him and he fell to the ground. I sped and broke off a piece of the already broken table. I walked over slowly. "Good luck with the whole Elena thing. I'd love to know how it turns out but I'm kind of in a hurry." I stuck the piece of wood in Damon's side.

I sped upstairs and packed all my things as fast as I could. I walked downstairs and straight to Stefan. He had his arms crossed across his chest and had a hardening look on his face.

"You're leaving?"

"Ya." I sighed. "Kol and I are going away."

"Well," Stefan's raised his eyebrows and awkwardly patted me on the shoulder. "Have a nice life."

I slapped him across the face. "Screw you." I turned to Damon, who was now sitting on the couch with a drink in his hands. "And fuck you."

Damon nodded and tipped his glass to me. "Right back at you."

I smiled and turned away. It was completely silent as I walked out and when I shut the door, it was like I shut off my chance to ever see them again. I already had a point in my life where I thought I would never see them again, never again, and it was like living it all over again.

_I ran my fingers along the headstone._

_Damon Salvatore. My big brother, my saviour, my protector, my everything. He was everything to me and I missed him the most, shamefully. I should miss my brothers equally, but Damon understood me in the ways Stefan didn't. Damon let me make my own decisions, but he was always there to tell me what wasn't going to happen. He was never unrealistic with me. He was so real and now, so dead. _

_I remember the last time I talked to him, he was teasing me about my hair getting too long. I pretended to be mad and he pinched my cheeks and told me I was cute. Then I cracked and we laughed for too long._

_Stefan Salvatore. I looked at his headstone. Stefan was so different from Damon. Stefan supported my ridiculous wishes and pursued me to go after my dreams. Stefan was a dreamer and an optimist. He was always there to make me feel better, like everything was going to be just fine. _

_The last time I had talked to Stefan was when I asked him if I he could play with me in the trees. He told me that I shouldn't play in the trees and that it was too dangerous. I immediately went and asked Damon and he said he would play with me in the trees. I had given Stefan a smug smile through the window and he had just shaken his head._

_I needed Stefan to pull me up and I needed Damon to tug me down. Both my brothers balanced each other out. They were gone and I had a couple pieces of myself missing._

_And my father._

_Giuseppe Salvatore. He was my father and I was his mio fiore. I loved him unconditionally. I hated him in a way, for leaving me with Aunt Alexandra, for pushing me in the carriage, for not telling me that was the last time I would see him. I hated him for that, but I could never hate him forever. It was only a couple days after their deaths and I was already over hating him._

_I felt my knees weaken and I fell to the ground. My black dress puffed around me on the ground._

_"Papa." I cried and touched the soil above where he laid. "I'm all alone, papa."_

_"Lorena, stand up." Aunt Alexandra ordered me. "Your dress will be dirty."_

_I scoffed, with the tears pooling over my eyes onto my cheeks. "The dress is black. It cannot be dirty."_

_She grabbed my arm and yanked me upward. "When I tell you to stand up, you will stand up. Do you understand?"_

_"I understand." I pulled away from her and stared at the dirt. I was silent for a minute or two before asking a question that had been on my mind all day. "Why did this happen? Why do people leave us?_

_Aunt Alexandra stood behind me and put her hand on my shoulder. "People leave their family for one reason. Love. Those boys loved someone so much that it killed them. It tore them away from each other. A family broken for love."_

_I sniffled. "We weren't broken."_

_"Oh, but you were." Aunt Alexandra patted my shoulder. "Do take this as a lesson, Lorena. Don't love someone too much because it will break your family. Selfish people may live longer, but they lose many things. Do you understand?"_

_I nodded and looked up at __the headstones of my family. My dead family. I would never see them again. Never again._

_"I understand."_


	36. That's it

Hello!

I hope you guys enjoyed the story!

I never realized how hard it was to do a story from a TV show, where you really had to get the dialogue and storyline right! It was a challenge, but I made it through and I am happy with the result! It was definitely one of those stories that got better as it went a long (in my opinion), so thank you for sticking through it!

Of course I could leave the story like that because that's how I thought it would've been like. Stefan and Damon love Elena so much it almost overrules any other love they have for any other person including their sister.

That's how I truly think it would have gone under their circumstances, so a sequel is iffy. Maybe I'll do one, maybe I won't.

Well, that's it. Thank you for reading and reviewing and following and favouriting or whatever else you did.

_Bye!_


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